See With Different Sight
by Sky-eyed Kitsune
Summary: When you're in need of some protection and you can't get a bodyguard, what do you do? Risk your neck to get a gang leader to protect you of course! All Sasuke needs to do that is to approach the newest hot blond in his senior class... sasunaru
1. What You and I Need

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**2****nd**** Disclaimer: The songs and lyrics mentioned in this fic do not belong to me! Nu-uh!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Yes, another fanfic of mine! Feel free to groan.**

**Gomi-kun: --groans—**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Oh shut it. -- Anyways, this is TOTAL SASUNARU! There may be some one-sidedness, but it's total ****SASUNARU**** LUUUVVVV!**

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**Fic Summary: 18 year-old senior Sasuke Uchiha never needed anything. His parents were loaded, he went to a genius high school, and he was the most popular guy there. He even had his own fanclub, though he despised it. But he finds now that he needs many things. A bodyguard, a math tutor, an escape…but what does falling in love have to do with it?**

**18 year-old senior Naruto Uzumaki never asked for anything. True, he needed a lot of things like money, a car, a better apartment, and some parents, though he never asked for squat. But now for once in his life Naruto is asking for something. Just someone to see past him, past his mask and ruse, to the real him.**

**When two teens from a genius high school are finally forced to get to know each other, one boy will discover many secrets, and in turn that the teen he met was from a completely different side of the tracks.**

**Angst. Friendship. Trust. Betrayal. Love.**

**In short, taking out of the fuzzy stuff, CHAOS WILL ENSUE.

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**Pairings: SASUNARU, one-sided nejinaru, one-sided narusaku**

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**This fic is inspired a lot by the songs that I will post here. :D**

**Who I am Hates Who I've Been by Relient K**

**I watched the proverbial sunrise  
Coming up over the Pacific and  
You might think I'm losing my mind,  
But I will shy away from the specifics... **

'cause I don't want you to know where I am  
'cause then you'll see my heart  
In the saddest state it's ever been.

This is no place to try and live my life.

Stop right there. That's exactly where I lost it.  
See that line. Well I never should have crossed it.  
Stop right there. Well I never should have said  
That it's the very moment that  
I wish that I could take back.

I'm sorry for the person I became.  
I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change.  
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again  
'cause who I am hates who I've been.  
Who I am hates who I've been.

I talk to absolutely no one.  
Couldn't keep to myself enough.  
And the things bottled inside have finally begun  
To create so much pressure that I'll soon blow up.

I heard the reverberating footsteps  
Synching up to the beating of my heart,  
And I was positive that unless I got myself together,  
I would watch me fall apart.

And I can't let that happen again  
'cause then you'll see my heart  
In the saddest state it's ever been.

This is no place to try and live my life.

Who I am hates who I've been  
And who I am will take the second chance you gave me.  
Who I am hates who I've been  
'cause who I've been only ever made me...

So sorry for the person I became.  
So sorry that it took so long for me to change.  
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again  
'cause who I am hates who I've been.  
Who I am hates who I've been.**

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**Chapter One: What You and I Need**

BAM!

The rattle of a loose metal locker coupled with a painful groan echoed down the navy painted hallway.

"Cough it up rich boy!" a burly brown-haired senior growled to the teen he held up by the collar of his soccer jersey.

Sasuke sighed. It was the same thing almost everyday. Soccer practices were always held between Konoha High and Otogakure High. The Konoha team would troop in, get changed in the locker room, come out, and then someone would get shaken down for money by an after school thug.

By someone Sasuke meant himself, his friends Rock Lee and Shikamaru, or his cousin Neji.

Sasuke could have beaten the shit out of the boy honestly. Sasuke had a lithe figure, but he was tall and had a black belt in martial arts.

"Well Uchiha!?" the bully yelled, slamming Sasuke to the locker again.

Sasuke curled his fists in anger. Oh how he wanted to beat this teen into the next dimension, but if he was caught being violent on Otogakure grounds, his soccer coaches Gai and Kakashi would ban him from the next play off. And the team _needed Sasuke_ to win.

Sasuke reached into his pocket and fished around in it until he pulled out two rolled up fives.

"Here," he said, shoving them to the rough teen. "Happy?"

The young man snatched the scrap of cash, released Sasuke, and was gone within the second.

Sasuke dropped to the floor and unintentionally slammed his head against the locker in back of him. He groaned a bit and rubbed the sore spot.

"Not again."

Sasuke looked up at the new non-threatening voice to see Neji, Lee, and Shikamaru standing over him. Lee offered a hand and Sasuke took it gratefully, brushing his green and white uniform off.

"I swear, these guys need a new hobby," Neji said, and Lee nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "Either that or we all quit soccer."

"No way," Sasuke said. "My dad would kill me."

"As would mine," Shikamaru sighed, tipping his head to the side lazily.

They were all matched perfectly in sorrow.

* * *

Shikamaru snored loudly at his desk the next morning, drool slipping from the corner of his mouth as he listened to his literature teacher Mr. Iruka Umino explain the intricate web of deceit and power struggle that coupled with Shakespeare's "Macbeth".

"Now with this scene…" Iruka said, writing on the chalkboard and holding a copy of Macbeth with his other hand.

"We have Macbeth alerting his wife Lady Macbeth that he has killed King Duncan, but is very rattled by the experience. Macbeth seems to almost be going insane as he hears voices and sees a dagger before him…"

Sasuke sat by the window, as usual, his face pensive as he leaned it on his hand and looked out the pane to the campus covered by an overflowing green field.

"Lady Macbeth is very angry with Macbeth for bringing back the daggers with which he murdered the king. She orders him to go back and place them with the guards, and then smear them with blood to frame them…"

Neji looked at the board, pretending to listen as he stared out into space. What else were mornings good for?

"But Macbeth states his discomfort of going back to see Duncan dead and look at the crime he has performed. He says, _'I'll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done. Look on it again I dare not.'_"

Lee scribbled notes madly on his notebook as he strived to copy Iruka's lecture word for word, not wanting to miss a thing, even if he had already read over and analyzed the play.

"This shows that Macbeth still retains some loyalty to Duncan, even though he has ultimately committed the prime act of betrayal towards him. If we scroll down to the end of the scene, Macbeth-"

Iruka was cut off as a sudden knocking came at the door. Lee's head shot up, Neji flicked his gaze towards the source of intrusion, Sasuke continued to stare out the window, and Shikamaru let out an extra loud snort in his sleep.

"Yes, come in!" Iruka said, turning from the chalkboard and placing a marker in his script. The door opened, but no one stepped inside. Nonetheless, Iruka's face lit up, indicating someone outside the door.

"You came!" he said, smiling brightly. "I was getting worried for a second there that you wouldn't show up!"

Iruka paused, then said,

"Hontouni anshin shita!"

The class did a double-take. Was that Japanese?! This peaked Shikamaru's interest, but Sasuke couldn't have cared less if his teacher was speaking gibberish.

"Shinpai shinaide Iruka-sensei," another voice said, and the class perked up with the exception of a brooding raven.

"Gomen," Iruka said, and then turned to the class. "Students, today we will be getting a new transfer student. He's late, since we're about two months into the school year, due to moving issues with his guardian. He grew up in Japan but has been living here for about four years and is one-hundred percent fluent in English. Please be kind and give him a nice welcome!"

Iruka smiled as he took a long pause and placed his hands behind his back.

The room was silent for a moment until Iruka whipped his head back in the direction of the door.

"Naruto! Ohairinasai!" he said. The class heard a groan from the door, then gasped as the new student stepped in.

He was 18 like the rest of the seniors, wearing the typical black uniform, but it made him stand out all the more. His hair was a gold-dipped blonde that sprouted from his head in tamed spikes, falling around his face and brushing against his shoulders. Against the black his blue eyes dazzled, churning the sky a stormy grey with envy. He was shorter than average by an inch, his figure lithe and slender, his arms slightly muscular. His sun-kissed skin stretched over him as if he was dipped in liquid gold, shining in the light spilling in through the window.

The class of boys whistled and looked at Naruto hungrily, sizing him up with their eyes.

Naruto fought down a blush as Iruka said,

"Naruto, would you like to say anything to the class?"

Naruto opened his mouth and Iruka said quickly,

"Something that isn't a cuss word or insult in Japanese?"

Naruto's mouth shut as a small ripple of laughter spread throughout the students. Naruto did blush this time and turned his gaze away.

"Hazukashigaranaide, Naruto," Iruka said, and Naruto flashed him a short glare.

Naruto looked down to the floor.

"Stay away from me and I'll stay away from you," he said quietly.

This finally got Sasuke's attention, and he lifted his head and almost gasped at the blonde god before him.

"That was…alright," Iruka said, sweat-dropping. "How about you go sit next to Sasuke. He's in the back with the black hair."

Sasuke blinked as Naruto lifted his gaze and locked his intense azure eyes with Sasuke's.

"Un," Naruto said to Iruka, and headed to the back.

Sasuke's heart rate rose to a mile a minute as the blonde beauty approached him. He seemed to be the only thing in the room; nothing else mattered, and it almost seems as if they never had.

Naruto sat down beside Sasuke, who couldn't help but stare at the magnificent young man.

Naruto crossed his arms on his desk and nestled his head in them, watching the board dully. He suddenly felt Sasuke's gaze on him and turned his head to look at the Uchiha. His breath caught a bit at the 18 year-old's handsomeness, but he shook it off quickly.

"What are you looking at?" Naruto said scornfully.

Sasuke ripped his eyes away and snorted.

"Hn," he said, his famous conversation breaker, and Naruto sighed and closed his eyes.

Sasuke settled his gaze on the boy once more, unable to keep his attention on the board, window, or anything else during that period whatsoever.

* * *

"Perhaps we are in need of some protection during soccer practice?" Lee voiced his thought as the four seniors walked down the street together, their hands all stuffed in their coat pockets as the chilly autumn air licked at their skin.

"That's not a bad idea," Neji said.

"If I ask my parents for a body guard, they'll ask for a long explain of why that I really don't want to give," Sasuke said, and the group shared neutral agreement.

"Why don't we just pay someone ourselves?" Neji said. "We still get allowances, even if we don't do chores anymore. And it's a hell of a lot more than most people get."

"This is true!" Lee cried with enthusiasm.

"If you guys haven't noticed, no one we know is particularly of the body guard type," Shikamaru sighed.

It was so true. The only people at the all boys Konoha High academy were nerds with nothing better to do than study. What good could they do against a bunch of thugs? Pocket-pen-protector them to death?

"I wasn't thinking of someone from _our_ school," Neji said, unusually thoughtful, and the group stopped.

He had an idea, most definitely.

"You guys know about those gangs that hang around Sungakure High?" Neji said, grinning.

The group nodded.

"Who wouldn't?" Shikamaru said. "Gang fights happen there practically everyday."

"Well, I heard from someone that that's where_ Kyuubi_ likes to hang out."

The group went deathly silent.

Everyone knew Kyuubi. Everyone.

He was the leader of the gang Kurochi otherwise known as "Black Blood". The gang was small, and though finding the members was easy, finding Kyuubi himself was not.

He seemed to disappear on most occasions, and anyone who sought him out would fail or get beaten up by Kurochi. Many people said that his gang leader position was only a side job, and that he was a loner.

Whether or not this was true was a mystery, but everyone knew Kyuubi. He had never killed anyone, but he was infamous for supporting Kurochi during gang wars, always being the one to deliver the last blow.

"Who'd you hear this from?" Sasuke asked slowly.

"Uzumaki," Neji replied. "He was talking about it on his cell phone after school."

"Uzumaki? Uzumaki Naruto?" Sasuke repeated, his face nothing short of baffled.

"The new student?" Lee asked.

"Yea. The hot guy," Shikamaru said, and the group did a double-take. Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes.

"He's hot, but relationships are too troublesome."

It was known that Shikamaru was bi as well as Sasuke, Lee was as straight as a pole, and Neji was gay.

"How about keeping your comments to yourself?" Neji growled.

"Yea, I should keep my mouth shut just because you have a crush on him," Shikamaru retorted, and Neji's face flushed red.

"S-shut up!" he snapped as Lee sniggered.

"Getting back to our protection problem…" Lee said. "I think we need to ask some more about Kyuubi's location to confirm!" He slammed his fist down on his open palm. The group nodded.

"Sasuke, you'll do it," Shikamaru said,

"What? Why me?" Sasuke griped.

Shikamaru didn't answer as the grouped walked forward, the Uchiha fuming next to them.

He hated when Shikamaru did that.

* * *

The bell reverberated through the academy, and everyone fled, glad to be let out on a Friday.

Sasuke, instead of joining the maniacs as they stampeded out of the school as quickly as possible, took his merry old time, waiting for a certain someone to arrive.

Finally a blond walked through the door and up to the literature teacher, Iruka Umino, and Sasuke inwardly cheered.

Sasuke walked up to the duo, the blonde's back facing him, and calmed himself. Why was he so nervous? Ok, the blonde was hot…but he had faced plenty of good looking people and he just brushed them off like anyone else! Why was Naruto making him feel so differently?

"Mr. Umino," Sasuke said as he stopped right behind Naruto, who didn't move or turn around. "I'm sorry to interrupt…"

"Not at all Sasuke!" Iruka said cheerfully, and Sasuke smiled a bit. Iruka was the kindest teacher in the school.

"I was wondering if I could borrow Naruto for a few minutes."

Iruka looked a bit taken aback, and Naruto visibly tensed.

Iruka flicked his warm chocolate brown gaze to Naruto, and then he smiled.

"Go on Naruto," he said.

"Iie Iruka-sensei," Naruto said quietly, but Sasuke still heard it.

What language was that again? Japanese?

Sasuke's mind suddenly flipped over to the sound of Naruto's voice. It was so soft, and not just because he was speaking quietly. It was a bit higher than most male's of their age, but it wasn't earsplitting either. It was a nice settlement between the two. And as soft as it was, Sasuke could sense a small chip in it like a bit of throaty roughness, but just barely noticeable. Sasuke decided he liked that voice a lot…

Sasuke mentally smacked himself. Ok, he was bi, so what? He had a mission to compete! No flirting on the job! Actually he had never flirted before because no one interested him…but still! Focus!

"Naruto," Iruka said, a hint of concern in his voice. "Douka shimashita ka?"

Wait, now Iruka spoke Japanese!? Sasuke wished he hadn't tuned out the classroom conversation now.

"Wakarimasen," Naruto said quietly again.

"Doushita no?"

Naruto paused, flicking his eyes to the corner to look at Sasuke without the Uchiha knowing.

"Sumimasen," he sighed. "Betsuni."

Naruto turned without facing Sasuke and walked to the door.

"Dewa mata Iruka-sensei," he said.

"Naruto, doko-"

"Waaku," Naruto cut off his teacher, before he left the classroom.

"Naruto, matte!" Iruka said, but upon receiving no answer he sighed and gave up.

"Does Naruto only speak Japanese?" Sasuke asked without thinking.

"No, he's fluent in English. Talking in Japanese makes him more comfortable though."

"So…mind translating?"

"It's nothing. I don't think he wants to talk to you. Is it important?"

"Yes."

"Well you could try running him down. He walks to work so you should be able to catch him."

"Where does he work?"

"At the Falling Leaf Café."

Sasuke nodded thanks as he ran out the door. That was he favorite café and now a blonde god would be working there?

Sasuke repressed a fanboy daze.

* * *

Sasuke rushed out of the school and made a left on the sidewalk, running over a crosswalk and almost getting hit by a car in his hurry.

Then he saw it- the mat of ripe golden hair swaying gently against a black uniform.

Sasuke was glad they were entering a deserted sidewalk as he ran up to the young man.

"Naruto!" he called, but Naruto didn't turn. What had Iruka said to him before he left?

"Matte!" Sasuke tried, and amazingly, Naruto stopped.

But then at the sight of Sasuke out of his peripheral vision Naruto started walking again.

"Matte!" Sasuke said again, and he sped up until he was walking beside the boy.

"Naruto! Wait a second dobe!" Sasuke said, using one of the few Japanese words he knew.

"Teme," Naruto growled back, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

As stupid as he was with Japanese, even _he_ knew that word!

"Naruto, stop," Sasuke said. When Naruto didn't respond and continued to keep his head down and walking, Sasuke stepped in front of him.

"Leave me alone," Naruto said as he stopped without looking up.

"Dobe, just give me a minute here!" Sasuke said. "I just need to ask you-"

Sasuke was cut off as he was suddenly shoved forward into Naruto as a person rushed by.

"Sorry!" the boy yelled. "I'm late!" With that he kept running.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he fell forward, toppling Naruto over, and their lips crashed together.

A sweet sensation exploded in Sasuke's mouth like dynamite, and he was sure he saw sparks fly.

Sasuke stared into the utterly gorgeous blue eyes before him, and he was swept into a crystal sky.

Suddenly Sasuke remembered his mission, and he reluctantly pulled away from the unintentional kiss. That was the first VERY close look he got of Naruto.

There was a flawless tan stretching over unblemished (A/N: explained later!) cheeks and down his neck. His form was lithe but firm, slender but strong. His eyes were the most indescribable shade of blue he had ever laid eyes on. His hair splayed out on the pavement in tamed spikes of sunshine, brushing again his black uniform like the stars against the backdrop of the night.

Sasuke felt a nosebleed coming on for the first time in his life when Naruto said,

"Can you get off me?"

Sasuke blinked a few times, then scrambled off of Naruto, hiding a blush.

He watched Naruto as he too got up, and when he saw the pink blush over the tanned face, he thought he would melt from a cuteness overload.

"Fine, what is it?" Naruto asked, jamming his hands into the pockets of his black school uniform pants.

Sasuke regained his composure and he held out his hand.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he introduced himself.

Naruto stared Sasuke's hand and searched his eyes briefly before he attentively extended his hand to meet the other boy's.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto said.

Unknowingly to each other they both experienced erupting warmth as their skin met and their hearts started to beat a little faster.

They both let go slowly.

They didn't speak and just stood there until Sasuke broke the silence.

"So…I uh, wanted to ask you something," he said.

"I'm not going out with you," Naruto said as he straightened his shirt.

"Wha- no! T-that was an accident! I wanted to ask you a real question!"

"Nani?" Naruto said.

"English please dobe."

"Tch. Teme. What is it?"

"I've heard that you know where Kyuubi is?"

Naruto took in a sharp intake of air and the atmosphere tensed at the sound of the name.

"Why do you want to know where Kyuubi is?" Naruto asked, his face suddenly serious.

"My friends and I need to ask him something," Sasuke replied firmly. Naruto looked Sasuke hard in the eyes, and Sasuke felt himself become lost in the sky once more.

"Sungakure," Naruto murmured.

"What?"

"Sungakure High. He'll be at Sungakure High School this Saturday at 3-4pm."

"3-4 eh? Ok. Thanks. Wait…how do you know where he'll be? Are you two related or something?"

"Something like that…" Naruto said quietly as he turned back around.

"Wait!" Sasuke said, and he grabbed Naruto's hand. Another spark shot up his back as sunshine skin clashed with snow.

"Could you take me to him?" Sasuke asked.

"No," Naruto said firmly, removing his hand from Sasuke's and giving him a glare.

"Listen, I'm late for work."

With that Naruto sped off.

Sasuke blinked after him.

Why was he so quiet and antisocial? Sasuke scoffed. He was turning into a hypocrite. After all, he was the most antisocial bastard in the whole school. But still, Sasuke wanted to know more for some reason. Naruto Uzumaki, transfer student of Konoha High and related to the famous gang leader Kyuubi…

Sasuke _really_ wanted to know him now.

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**Muhahaha! Who is Kyuubi!? Me no tellie :b**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	2. Encased in Ice

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**2****nd**** Disclaimer: The songs and lyrics mention in this fic do not belong to me! Nu-uh! The songs in this chapter are: "Miss Murder" by AFI**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Erg….exams at school over now…..—passes out—**

**Gomi-kun: --blinks— Wow, it's really quiet now. –stares at audience-- Er…go read now. No updates.**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To akume: Un! I luv AU's!**

**To shirilyle: Yerp, I am!**

**To Teng-A-Ling: O.o How did you know that he is Kyuubi!!? --shifty eyes-- Er...you didn't hear that! O.O Un, I luv to have people not understand Naruto, lol! If anyone needs a translation, just ask, or you can look it up.**

**To Chibi Lucifer: Yay! I updated soon! I so proud! T.T**

**To EndlessKnight: Ooooooo I lurve your review! XD I never really liked a super bouncy Naruto...so why not make him a little bit of an anti-social jerk!? That'll show Sasuke! XD**

**To xNetsUx: --bows-- Arigatou!**

**To PirateCaptainBo: To Bo- Yesssss, me like a Naruto with angst, hence the split personality! X3**

** To Ski: Un! I will! Oooo, I have a question! You and Bo share an account together, right? Well, why is your penname PirateCaptainBo and there's no Ski in there!? O.O Wa! Wow Ski, you must be a nice sis to be ok with that! I have a sis, and I would be sooooo ticked off if she made the penname with only her name in it! (Oh ya, people really do call me Kitsune by the way, so it's my real nickname. Lol.) Just wonderin! You don't need to answer:b**

**To Kumikoryu-chan: X3**

**To BeneathSecrets: Make up is smexy on some dudes! Lol! XD Like Gaara! O.o Yes, the ray of sunshine has some angst to get through...--cue dramatic music-- Lol. As for the translation, basically when Iruka introduced Naruto to the class he told him that he was glad that he came. Naruto told Iruka not to worry. Then Iruka told Naruto to come inside the classroom cause he wouldn't. XD With the chat with Sasuke and Iruka, Naruto said that he didn't want to talk to Sasuke. Iruka asked Naruto if there was anything wrong, and Naruto said he didn't know. Iruka asked what it was, then Naruto changed his mind and said that it was nothing. Then he said goodbye, and Iruka was about to ask him where he was going, and he said that he was heading to work. Phew!**

**To frizzy197: I'm not a huge fan of Relient K, but that song of theirs is good! Thank you for the lovely review!**

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Chapter Dedication: This is for Teng-a-Ling, EndlessKnight, and Beneath Secrets! Arigatou!!!

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**Chapter Two: Encased in Ice**

"Why the hell are you dragging me along? I told _you_ to do this! This is so troublesome…"

Sasuke and Shikamaru walked side by side down the sidewalk on the campus of Sungakure High School. Known to have had many gang fights inside and outside of school, you'd expect the area to be pretty dismal and in a bad neighborhood.

But it was quite the contrary.

It looked even better than Konoha All Boys Academy campus, the grass neatly shaved and bushes of ivy and wildflowers enclosing the school. The neighborhood was one of the richest, filled with mansions and high class houses that even smelled expensive when you passed by.

"You'd think they'd turn out better growing up like this," Sasuke said, and Shikamaru sighed in agreement.

They continued to walk until they were to the back of the school on the soccer field, rolling on past the designated campus until it stopped at the road. It was utterly green and beautiful.

"This is so troublesome," Shikamaru whined. "Where is he?"

Sasuke looked around, when he spotted a small group of teenagers, presumably seniors, near the benches on the field.

"Let's ask," Sasuke said, and Shikamaru followed them as they made their way over to the group.

They all stopped chatting when the duo approached. The group wore the uniforms of Sungakure High, varying in appearances. There was a girl with four spiked pigtails standing up from her dark blonde hair, a whitish blonde-haired girl with a high pony-tail, and a girl with two black buns. They all wore a red skirt, white blouse, and a black jacket with the hourglass symbol of Sungakure. Next to them were three boys. One had chesnut spiked hair with red triangle tattoos under his eyes, and one with dark brown hair also spiked and longer with purple markings around his eyes and face, wearing a strange black hat with what looked like ears poking up from it. Besides the teen with the triangles was a large, almost wolf-like white dog with brown tipped ears and a black collar. Next to the dog was a boy with straight black hair framing his face and coal black eyes. They all wore black pants, a red shirt, and black button up jacket, the triangle teen's jacket flung onto the bench. They all looked to be the same age as Sasuke and Shikamaru- eighteen.

"What the hell do you bastards want?" the triangle teen asked gruffly as the duo approached and stopped in front of them, and the dog growled.

"Nice manners tattoo boy," Sasuke said, and the teen snarled.

"What the hell did you say punk!?"

"Kiba, calm yourself," the young black-haired man on the bench said, and Kiba's temper fizzled a bit.

"Whatever," he said.

"What do you want?" the more level headed teen asked.

"We're looking for Kyuubi," Shikamaru said bluntly, and suddenly a punch was whipped across his face by the tall teen with purple markings and the funny hat.

"What the hell do you want with him?" the boy hissed dangerously as Shikamaru sat on the ground.

Sasuke leaned down to his friend.

"Are you ok?" he asked, and Shikamaru nodded, rubbing his cheek where a bruise was forming.

"You drag me along and I'm the one who gets hit. Troublesome…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he helped Shikamaru up.

"We'd like to ask him if he'd be willing to take a job," Sasuke said a bit hesitantly, not looking forward to having his face punched in.

"What kind of job?" the black-haired girl asked in a more positive tone. Sasuke noted that she was the only one who wasn't glaring at him.

"We want a bodyguard, and we're willing to pay good money if he'll take the job."

"Pfft," scoffed the teen, patting his dog. "Kyuu already has a job."

"He does?" Sasuke asked, and then smirked. _"Kyuu huh?"_

"I'd like to hear that from him if it's ok."

"First off, who are you?" the blonde with the ponytail asked.

"We'll tell you if you tell us who you are," Sasuke said.

"Fine," the blonde replied. "I'm Ino Yamanaka."

"Kiba Inuzuka," the triangle teen replied, grinning and showing off sharp canines like a dog. "And this is Akamaru."

The dog barked.

"Tenten," the nice black-haired girl said, holding up a peace sign and grinning. Sasuke made a mental note to introduce her to Lee if he ever got the chance.

"Kankuro Sabaku," the tallest face-decorated teen said, as if introductions were painful. Even though he had just nailed him in the face, Sasuke felt like he and Shikamaru would be a perfect pair.

"Temari Sabaku," the four spiked pigtails girl said, crossing her arms. Siblings, eh?

"Sai," said the cool black-eyed boy. "Now you two."

"Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke said.

"Shikamaru Nara," Shikamaru yawned, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"You want Kyuu to be your bodyguard, eh?" Temari asked, and the duo nodded. "Well, Kyuu could always use a scrap of cash…"

Temari whipped out a violet cell phone and dialed.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Kiba shouted, flailing his arms like a maniac.

"Calling Kyuu," Temari said, and Sasuke's hope sparked.

"WHAT!? Why the hell do we wanna help these egotistical sons of-"

"Kyuu."

Kiba stopped as Temari started speaking, holding the phone away as she put it on speaker.

"Kyuu!"

"Hey Kyuubi!"

"What's up dude?"

"Kyuubi-kuun!"

They all said loudly at once. Sasuke expected that Kyuubi must have gotten an earful.

"_Itai! Take down the volume guys!"_

Roger that.

Suddenly something snapped inside Sasuke. He was here with Kurochi, listening to them talk to Kyuubi…_the_ Kyuubi…

Sasuke wanted to smack himself then and there to see if he was having a nightmare.

"There are two guys here who have some business with you," Temari said. Sasuke assumed that she was the leader of the pack when Kyuubi was away.

"_Business?"_

"Yea."

"_Kankuro punched someone out, didn't he?"_

"N-no!" Kankuro sputtered.

"_Copy that."_

Sasuke laughed a little. He wished that the speakerphone wasn't so crackly so that he could hear _the_ Kyuubi's voice better, but he sounded like a sarcastic person.

"Anyways," Temari continued, rolling her eyes. "Do you know these guys? One has a spiky brown ponytail with a bored look on his face and the other has black eyes with duck butt hair."

Sasuke fumed a bit on the inside, but his exterior stayed utterly calm.

"_Spiky brown hair? Duck butt?"_

The group giggled.

"They say their names are Sasuke Uchiha and Shikamaru Nara."

"_Sasuke?"_ Sasuke's eyes flickered as he noted the change in Kyuubi's tone, that of sudden recognition.

"_Oh yea, Sasuke. I forgot to mention, sorry guys. Naruto said that he wanted to meet me for something."_

"Naruto?" Sasuke blurted, and the group glared at him. There was laughing on the other line.

"_Yea, Naruto. You know, blonde hair, blue eyes, attends Konoha Academy?"_

"I know that," Sasuke said. "I mean…you two are really related?"

There was a long pause over the line.

"_What does it matter?"_ Kyuubi finally asked.

"I don't know," Sasuke said.

"So, what do you say Kyuu?" Temari asked.

"_I'll be there in fiv-hah!"_

"Kyuu?" Temari asked, her tone a bit anxious now.

"_Neh….I…"_ there was a long groan over the line and some labored breathing.

"Kyuubi! Are you ok?" Temari asked, and the group looked at the cell phone worriedly. "Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

"_I-I'm fine…"_ Kyuubi said. _"I'll be there in five m-minutes."_

With that the phone clicked off.

Temari sighed and placed the cell phone on the bench.

"What now?" Shikamaru asked.

"We wait," Temari replied.

"So troublesome."

* * *

Well kept orange tennis shoes walked down a ruby red carpet floor, passing by lockers as soft footsteps went unheard down the hall, smothered by the terrazzo.

Scarlet red hair flowed out with the steps, brushing against shoulders covered by orange.

Sun-kissed skin stretched over a lithe form, slightly muscular, as three whisker-like scars hugged to cheeks lovingly.

Crimson eyes scanned the hall contentedly, not particularly looking for something.

Kyuubi made a left in Sungakure High, walking leisurely, when suddenly her was pressed up against the wall, his back meeting the cement.

"Naruto." Kyuubi opened his eyes, having been shut by surprise, to see a redhead pinning his wrists to the wall, his face level with Kyuubi's as he leaned down a bit. His light emerald eyes shone in the hallway lights, and the black eyeliner around them accented his fiery red hair. His skin was pale and smooth, and one his forehead was a tattoo in kanji, meaning love.

"Gaara…" Kyuubi replied. "You're not supposed to call me by that name around here."

Gaara smirked as he brought up a hand and caressed the shorter young man's scarred but oh so silky cheek gently.

"But it's your name. Your _real_ name," he said.

Naruto turned his head away from Gaara's hand.

"Gaara," he said quietly. "I-"

Kyuubi was suddenly cut off as Gaara pressed his lips onto the other's, hovering his body closer to the shorter teen.

Kyuubi shut his eyes tight and tried to push Gaara off of him, but he suddenly felt like all the strength had been sapped from him upon meeting those light jade eyes.

Gaara moved his lips rhythmically in a slow and gentle pattern against Kyuubi's, pushing his body up against him.

Kyuubi gasped as Gaara thrust his hips forward a bit, and Gaara took that opportunity to slip his tongue into the handsome teen's mouth.

Gaara explored every cavern and crevice, slowly releasing Naruto's wrists. He placed one hand on the back of Kyuubi's neck, tilting his head forward, and the other on his waist.

A shiver ran up Kyuubi's spine as heat flashed through him, Gaara's tongue like liquid fire. He reached up his hands and gripped the front of Gaara's shirt to keep from slipping down the wall.

Kyuubi couldn't help but groan when Gaara massaged his tongue against his own.

Gaara smirked and pulled away, letting Kyuubi catch his breath.

"Gaara…" Kyuubi said, closing his eyes and turning his head away.

"Naruto, you know how I feel," Gaara said. "I like you a lot. I _want_ you, Naruto. I love you."

Kyuubi opened his eyes, suddenly frightened a sky blue, and looked at Gaara hard.

"I can't, Gaara," he said.

"It's because of Haku, isn't it?"

Kyuubi didn't say anything, and Gaara knew he was right.

"Naruto, do you love me?"

"You're my best friend Gaara. It's hard to think of you as something else. But…"

"But?"

"I…I don't know. It would be wrong to date you."

Kyuubi gasped as Gaara leaned his head down and licked at his tan neck.

"Does this feel wrong?" Gaara said softly, kissing Kyuubi's skin.

Kyuubi let out an involuntary groan as Gaara sucked on his neck lightly, steadily applying more pressure.

Kyuubi sunk to the ground as he legs became numb, and Gaara went down with him, never abandoning his neck.

"Naruto, I won't hurt you," Gaara whispered into Kyuubi's skin. "I would never want to hurt you. You're also my best friend…but I want to be more."

Gaara cupped Kyuubi's face in his hands as he rested his forehead against the blue-eyed boy's.

"I love you Naruto. You're afraid to get close to anyone outside of Kurochi, and afraid to be more than friends with anyone at all because you don't want to hurt again. I won't hurt you Naruto. And I'll be fine. Please…"

Gaara trailed kisses down Kyuubi's neck, Kyuubi in turn throwing his head back instinctively to expose more of the skin there.

"One night Naruto…just one…" Gaara said, lapping at the newly revealed skin and making Kyuubi gasp.

Kyuubi closed his eyes as a wave of emotion spread over him.

_-----------Flashback------_

"_Haku, you're too slow!" a thirteen year-old Naruto cried as he ran ahead through the field, doing cartwheels in the snow._

"_Calm down, I'm coming," another fourteen year-old said. His hair was a long, dark blue tied back into a ponytail, and his amber eyes shone in the snowflakes._

"_Naruto, you have to be careful. Just because Otogakure costs a lot of money to get into, it doesn't mean that it's a nice place."_

"_Aw, you worry too much Haku!" Naruto said, twirling around as he watched the snowflakes fall around him like crystal tears._

"_Besides, Otogakure has the biggest field! That's means more snow to play in!"_

_Haku smiled as he watch Naruto become dizzy with his spinning, and the boy giggled as he fell to the ground._

"_Naruto! Are you ok?" Haku asked, kneeling down beside the teen._

_Naruto laughed and pulled Haku down next to him in the snow. He spread out his arms and legs, moving them up and down and plowing the snow._

"_C'mon Haku! Make a snow angel!" he said._

_Haku smiled as he moved his arms and legs._

_The two then stood up, brushing off snow as they looked over their work._

_Two angels were imprinted on the ground side by side, and snow gently falling over them._

"_Hm, they need something…" Naruto said. He leaned down and drew halos over them with his finger, then went down and used his sleeve to stretch out the angel's hands until they were linked together._

"_There!" Naruto cried, springing up happily. "See Haku!"_

_Haku smiled and nodded._

"_Hey Haku, we'll always be friends, right?"_

_Haku ruffeled Naruto's hair and grinned._

"_Hey!" Naruto said._

"_Yes, we'll always be best friends."_

_-------End Flashback----_

Gaara stopped as he lifted his head and saw Kyuubi's distant eyes, and knew that he was thinking of his old best friend Haku.

"Naruto…" Gaara said, capturing Naruto's lips in a delicate kiss. "Haku wouldn't want you to withdraw like this, to cut off your heart and let it turn to ice. I knew him too."

Naruto slowly nodded, then turned his gaze to the ground.

"I don't feel like I can let someone in…"

"You don't remember how to Naruto," Gaara said. "Let go of that barrier."

Gaara opened Kyuubi's jacket and undid the top button of his shirt, nuzzling his skin and kissing his collar bone gently.

Kyuubi let out a groan and tangled his fingers in Gaara's hair, arching into Gaara's touch.

Gaara smiled and nibbled Kyuubi's neck, slowly unbuttoning his shirt more now.

"One night Naruto…" Gaara said, running his hands over Kyuubi's firm sun-kissed chest, feeling the small rifts that his muscles made in his skin.

Kyuubi blushed hard until his face was as red as his hair.

"I…"

"_With just a look they shook, and heavens bowed before him. Simply a look could break your heart…"_

Gaara and Kyuubi blinked as Miss Murder by AFI came on.

"_The stars that pierced the sky; he left them all behind. We're left to wonder why he left us all behind."_

Kyuubi fished into his pocket as Gaara recovered and went back to lapping at his neck.

"_Hey Miss Murder can I, hey miss murder can I make beauty stay if I take my life. Whoa oh oh…"_

Kyuubi pulled out his orange and black cell phone and flipped it open.

"Yea?" he said, putting it to his ear, then immediately pulled it away.

"_Kyuu!"_

"_Hey Kyuubi!"_

"_What's up dude?"_

"_Kyuubi-kuun!"_

Kyuubi held a hand to his ear as he heard his friends shout through the phone.

"Itai! Take down the volume guys!" he said as he placed the phone to his ear again.

Gaara smirked and licked Kyuubi's neck, and Kyuubi bit back a groan.

"_There are two guys here who have some business with you,"_ Temari said over the phone.

"Business?" Kyuubi said, struggling to maintain his clarity with Gaara devouring his neck.

"_Yea."_

"Kankuro punched someone out, didn't he?" Kyuubi sighed

"_N-no!"_ Kankuro sputtered from the background.

"Copy that."

Gaara chuckled. He nuzzled his way down Kyuubi's collar bone, his chest, until he stopped at the lower half of his torso.

Kyuubi held the phone a bit away and hissed, "Gaara! Not now!"

"Does that mean later?" Gaara asked hopefully, and Kyuubi rolled his eyes.

"_Anyways," _Temari continued._ "Do you know these guys? One has a spiky brown ponytail with a bored look on his face and the other has black eyes with duck butt hair."_

"Spiky brown hair? Duck butt?"

Gaara flashed Kyuubi an incredulous look.

"_They say their names are Sasuke Uchiha and Shikamaru Nara."_

"Sasuke?" The name hit Kyuubi like a ton of bricks, and he closed his eyes as he saw an image of black eyes and…soft lips on his own.

"Oh yea, Sasuke. I forgot to mention, sorry guys. Naruto said that he wanted to meet me for something," Kyuubi said calmly.

"_Naruto?"_ Kyuubi heard another voice say. A very familiar male one. _Sasuke._

Kyuubi laughed a little.

"Yea, Naruto. You know, blonde hair, blue eyes, attends Konoha Academy?"

"_I know that,"_ Sasuke said. _"I mean…you two are really related?"_

Kyuubi paused as he thought for a bit, and then finally said,_ "What does it matter?"_

"_I don't know,"_ Sasuke replied

"_So, what do you say Kyuu?"_ Temari asked.

"I'll be there in fiv-hah!" Kyuubi gasped and practically dropped his phone when Gaara crashed his lips against his own in a passionate kiss.

"_Kyuu?"_ Temari asked, her tone a bit anxious now.

"Neh…I…" Kyuubi gasped as the kiss broke for air before a fire engulfed Kyuubi's mouth again. Kyuubi couldn't stifle a loud groan that escaped him when Gaara rubbed his tongue against the underside of his own, and his breaths came in short pants in between.

"_Kyuubi! Are you ok?"_ Temari asked. _"Are you hurt? What's wrong?"_

"I-I'm fine…" Kyuubi said, mustering the strength to speak as Gaara moved down to let his tongue play with the tattoo around Kyuubi's belly button. "I'll be there in five m-minutes."

Kyuubi shut the phone and whacked Gaara over the head with it.

"Ouch! What was-"

"Do you even need to ask!?" Kyuubi cried, and Gaara grinned.

"So, you said 'not now'. Did that maybe mean later?" he asked.

Kyuubi sighed.

"I don't know," he said.

"Let me help you decide," Gaara said, and pressed his lips up against Kyuubi's, running his hands over the teen's exposed chest.

Kyuubi groaned and tilted his head back, giving Gaara more entrance to his mouth.

Gaara took it gladly, and let out a moan himself as Kyuubi reached up and ran his fingers through Gaara's ruby hair soothingly.

Kyuubi kissed Gaara back, moving his lips against the taller red-heads rhythmically as his hands continued to work their magic.

Gaara felt his self control slip as his ground his hips against Kyuubi's, letting Kyuubi break the kiss to let out a moan before latching back onto them again. A sweet and addictive sensation erupted on Gaara's tongue, engulfing him as Kyuubi kissed him.

_Damn_, Naruto was a good kisser!

Kyuubi separated from Gaara's lips, panting, and Gaara let out a noise of disappointment.

"We need to…to go meet Temari-ah!" Kyuubi gasped as Gaara bit on a tender spot under his neck, and he purred with pleasure.

"You said five minutes," Gaara replied.

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Just so all of you know…this is SASUNARU! There will be one-sided nejinaru and some gaanaru, but it's SASUNARU LUUUUV!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune & Gomi-kun**


	3. Cause I Suck at Math

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Erg….exams at school over now…..—passes out—**

**Gomi-kun: --blinks— Wow, it's really quiet now. –stares at audience-- Er…go read now. No updates.**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To XOHevn-ChanXO : Wow! Thank you:D Hott is what I aim for! X3**

**To scoggzie: Lol! Hyper Naruto is always fun, but it's terribly overused. Where's the angst!? He's a freaking teenager for crying out loud!!! O.o**

**To frizzy197: Like I said, not a big Relient K fan. X( That one song is good, but I don't like the band much. My fav bands and singers are Linkin Park, Utada Hikaru, My Chemical Romance, Nickelback, Maroon 5, and the All-Amercian Rejects are cool too. I have A LOT of music by various artists that I listen to. (By the way, if you're asking your self why the hell I like American music when I live in Japan, my beta and best friend Gomi-kun got me hooked on a lot of English music! XD He's a music maniac like me.**

**To unseeliedarkness: X3**

**To shirilyle: Indeed I will!**

**To TheGoddessAthena: --nods—**

**To waterlogged27: O.o Gah! Here it is!** **Don't eat me! –hides under table--**

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**Chapter Dedication: This one is for **XOHevn-ChanXO, scoggzie, and frizzy197! Luvles you all! XD

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**Chapter Three: Cause I Suck at Math**

Shikamaru blinked up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by peacefully.

"That one looks like a bear," Kankuro said as he lay beside Shikamaru on the field, looking up.

"Yea," Shikamaru said.

Sasuke was dead on when he had said that Shikamaru and Kankuro would make a perfect pair. They were both lazy, uncaring, and thought everything was too much trouble.

The rest of Kurochi and Sasuke sat around the bench on the school field of Sungakure, waiting for a certain gang leader.

Temari glanced at her watch anxiously. This didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke.

"Worried?" he smirked, and Temari glared at him.

"Not that it's any of your business…" she spat. "But Kyuubi is _never_ late."

Sasuke snorted and Temari leapt to her feet and balled up the front of his shirt in her fist as she lifted him a bit from the ground.

"What the hell is your problem Uchiha!? Do you always have a stick up your-"

"Whoa, language Temari."

Temari turned around, ready to snarl, when he stopped and let go of Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes grew wide and he couldn't help but ogle a bit.

In front of them stood a young man, from seventeen to eighteen by the looks of it, almost identical to Naruto.

Almost.

Two very important factors were different about this young man. Fiery red hair ran down in spikes sticking up much more than Naruto's softer tame ones, and the tips brushed against his shoulders. His eyes were a bloody crimson that shone in the sunlight, looking deadly and sharp. On each of his cheeks were three black scars akin to whiskers, beneath them a golden tan stretching over his body. Like Naruto, he was a bit shorter than average with a lithe, yet firm and toned frame.

He wore a pair of jeans slashed three times at the knees as if they had been clawed by and animal over clean dark orange tennis shoes. His shirt was an orange button up that match his shoes, a black jacket over it.

In all honesty, Sasuke thought that he was almost as hot as Naruto himself. Amazingly to Sasuke his clothing was clean and crisp, despite his jeans that looked as if they were worn more for comfort than anything. In fact, it looked as if he had come back from a casual student council meeting of some sort.

Next to the handsome young man was another god looking redhead with the kanji symbol for love tattooed on his forehead. His eyes were a light emerald accented by rings of eyeliner around them, giving the boy raccoon eyes, and he was a bit taller than the other redhead.

"Kyuu!" Kiba cried, slapping the first boy on the back.

"I was getting worried," Temari said, turning away from Sasuke.

"Kyuubi-kuuun!" Ino said, hugging Kyuubi like a teddy bear.

Sasuke froze.

This…this person…this handsome young man…was _the_ Kyuubi!?

"Oh yea, here's Uchiha and Nara like I mentioned earlier," Temari said, waving a hand at Sasuke and Shikamaru. (Who by the way hadn't moved from the ground.)

"Thanks," Kyuubi said, and locked eyes with Sasuke. Sasuke felt his blood pump faster.

"Sasuke, eh?" Kyuubi said. "Yea, Naruto said something about you. Actually, he said that you kissed him by accident."

Sasuke's temperature rose by five hundred degrees and the other redhead beside Kyuubi curled his fist.

"But I don't hold grudges," Kyuubi sighed, and Sasuke noted that Kyuubi's voice was like Naruto's only a bit gruffer and lower.

"What do you want?"

"My friends and I are in need of a bodyguard," Sasuke said.

Kyuubi lifted an eyebrow, and Sasuke elaborated.

"We have soccer practice with Otogakure High almost everyday after school and we get hit up for cash in the halls. We can't get in a fight with them or else we'll get kicked off the soccer team. That's where you come in. Just be our bodyguard after school from 3:30-5:00. We're willing to pay well for it."

Sasuke could have sworn that that was the longest string of words he had said all together at one time. Actually though, Kyuubi didn't look threatening. He was even shorter than Sasuke! And where were the hardcore muscles? Under that lithe frame? If it weren't for Kyuubi's poisonous eyes, Sasuke would have just forgotten the whole thing.

"How much?" Kyuubi asked.

"25 bucks a day," Sasuke said. They had all agreed to put in five dollars each day.

Kyuubi paused for a moment, then grinned and said,

"Where do I sign?"

* * *

Sasuke sat at his desk in math with Mr. Ibiki that Monday, his hand thoughtfully resting on his palm. He stared at the back of a golden mat of calm spikes, enjoying the thought of how soft they must have been.

It had been three days since he spoke with Kyuubi, and their deal didn't start

"_Kyuubi and Naruto…"_ Sasuke thought, closing his eyes. _"They must be brothers…but Naruto said before that they were 'sort of' related."_

Sasuke opened his eyes and let his eyes roam over Naruto's back and hair again, letting his eyes drink in the sight.

"By taking the reciprocal of the product of X2(2.5) and 3 + 12x 54.223t 67y and insert that into Ulam's prime spiral theory, you get-" Mr.Ibiki stopped as the bell went off, and the students quickly scrambled to retrieve their books.

"Remember, your homework is on page 232, problems 12-40," Ibiki said (shouted). "AP Calculus DISMISSED!"

Sasuke grabbed his things and shoved them in his bag, eager to talk to Naruto as it was the end of school.

Naruto got up and headed to the door, Sasuke a foot from him, when suddenly a strong voice said.

"Uzumaki!" Naruto froze, Sasuke in turn almost bumping into him.

Naruto walked up to Ibiki as Sasuke stood there stupidly.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I received your test results from the SAT's," Ibiki said, crossing his arms. "Your other classes were top notch, but you seem to struggle with math. This SAT is counted as fifty percent of your grade for the trimester here, and already you're at a D."

Naruto looked down, and Ibiki eased up a bit. Naruto wasn't the kind of kid that slacked off and never did his homework; math just wasn't his subject.

"But, I'm going to let you retake the SAT's. If you can get an A on this one, I'll forgo the other and replace it with the A."

Naruto looked back up at Ibiki.

"I'm going to assign you a tutor to work with you and study. Let's see…Uchiha!"

Sasuke blinked as Ibiki thrust a finger at him.

"Huh?" Sasuke said stupidly, still in a daze over what he had just heard.

"Your math grades are just fine. Please tutor Mr. Uzumaki, would you? I realize you have soccer practice, but you can schedule him after that and one the weekends too."

Sasuke nodded numbly.

"Dismissed!" Ibiki shouted, and Naruto and Sasuke were out the door in a flash.

"So…you wanna study now? I don't have soccer practice today," Sasuke said, leaning on the locker next to Naruto's as the boy collected his things and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Yea…sure," Naruto said quietly, and Sasuke noted how sad his beautiful blue eyes looked.

Sasuke moved forward and opened his mouth to say something, when Lee went whizzing by, knocking Sasuke into the blonde senior.

"I am sorry Sasuke!" Lee shouted over his shoulder as he continued. "Mr. Gai is giving out extra credit!"

Sasuke couldn't have replied if he wanted to as he once again found his lips touching another soft pair, and he became dizzy off an intoxicatingly sweet sensation in his mouth.

Naruto blinked as his eyes clashed with black midnight, and the taste of first snowflake of the season spread over his mouth.

Sasuke's eyes dropped to half mast, and he tilted his head slightly to the right to accommodate his lips against Naruto's better.

Sasuke suddenly shot his eyes open and he pulled away from Naruto quickly, a blush tinting his cheeks. What the hell was he thinking!?

"Sorry…" he murmured, standing up. He reached out a hand to Naruto.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke, a pink flush across his face as well. His eyes flicked to the Uchiha's hand, and he stared at it for a moment as if contemplating something.

He reached his hand out attentively, his fingers inches away from Sasuke, when he suddenly retracted his arm and looked to the floor.

"Tch," Sasuke said, reaching forward before Naruto could put down his hand, and he grabbed it, pulling the shorter teen up.

Naruto gasped as he was heaved up effortlessly and he hit Sasuke's firm chest.

Sasuke honestly hadn't meant to pull Naruto so hard, but who would have thought that he would lighter than he looked?"

"Sorry," Sasuke repeated.

"It's fine," Naruto said quickly, his blush creeping up his face more. He suddenly noticed that his hand was still in Sasuke's and he removed it. Naruto's inner self pouted at the loss of warmth and comfort when his hand left Sasuke's. The kind of comfort he hadn't felt in years…

"Let's go," Sasuke said. He moved forward, but hearing no footsteps behind him he looked back to see Naruto standing there, looking at the floor as if mesmerized by it. Sasuke knew that he was obviously in deep thought…but about what.

Sasuke sighed and grabbed Naruto's hand, the warmth returning to him as he walked forward, pulling the blonde along with him.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto said, coming out of his daze.

"Hn. Usuratonkachi," Sasuke said. Yet another of the few words he knew in Japanese. "Let's study at your house."

"No!"

Sasuke paused and looked back at Naruto.

"I mean…no," Naruto said a bit more quietly. "My house…" Naruto struggled for a believable excuse. "I live with my guardian since I'm still not 18, and he makes a lot of noise when he's home."

Sasuke blinked, and Naruto reviewed what he had said to realize that it was the truth. If Sasuke didn't believe him, that was his own fault!

Sasuke thought for a moment. Iruka said something about Naruto having to move there because of his guardian, right? It had to be true.

"Ok," Sasuke said, continuing to walk and lead Naruto by the hand. "We'll go to my house then. When do you turn 18 Naruto?"

Naruto hesitated, and Sasuke said,

"You don't need to tell me though if you're uncomfortable with it."

"It's fine," Naruto said. "I turn eighteen in two weeks. Are you 18 Sasuke?"

"Yea. I just turned 18 about two months ago in July."

Sasuke fished out his keys with his free hands as the two approached a sleek black Toyota supra, and Naruto gaped a little.

"_This_ is your car!?" he said, exasperated.

"Yea. Something wrong dobe?" Sasuke asked as he clicked a button and it unlocked with a beep.

"It's just…a really expensive car," Naruto said. "And don't call me dobe!"

Sasuke smirked, and before he got into the car he remembered that his hand was still linked with Naruto's. He let it go and Naruto blushed before hurrying over to the other side of the car and jumping in.

* * *

The ride to Sasuke's house was utterly quiet with the exception of the gravel on the road scraping against the tires. Sasuke stole glances at Naruto, and when their eyes would meet, they both turned away quickly, Naruto blushing.

"So, uh…you live with your guardian?" Sasuke said, trying to strike up a conversation.

"Y-yea…" Naruto said, looking out the window.

"Why? Do your parents still live in Japan?"

"No. My parents are dead."

Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat, and he regretted asking the question. He looked over at Naruto though to see that he was still pensively staring out the window.

"I…" Sasuke started, trying to think of what to say. Did he want sympathy? He didn't look upset.

"It's fine," Naruto said, saving Sasuke.

"How uh…did they…you know, if you don't mind me asking…"

"It's alright. My mother died giving birth to me. My father raised me until I was thirteen. He owned a company called Yondaime Inc. in Japan and he was shot by the owner of his rival company."

"I'm…so sorry."

"I was sent to live with my guardian Jiraiya, a friend of my dad's. He inherited the company because I was too young to take it. When I turn 18 I'll be able to."

"Do you like Jiraiya?"

There was an uncomfortable pause, and Sasuke noticed Naruto wriggle in his seat a bit.

"Depends," he sighed. "He's not home a lot because he travels for Yondaime Inc. And when he's home…he's uh, loud."

"Oh…" Sasuke said, unsure of what to say as he processed everything Naruto had just told him.

He made a turn into his neighborhood lined with well taken care of houses and green lawns holding down under the chilly autumn wind. He pulled up to a black gate lined with green ivy weaving in and out of it. Behind it proudly stood a colossal mansion surrounded by a lush garden and fountain in the middle of the circle driveway.

Naruto gaped.

"T-t-t-t-t-this is your house!?" he said, sputtering stupidly.

"Yea," Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow. Naruto went to one of the riches academies in the state. Why was he so surprised? Didn't he live in a huge house too?

Sasuke rolled down his window as a speaker attached to the gate crackled to life.

"Kakashi, let me in," Sasuke said.

"Say please Sasuke," a smug voice over the speaker said.

"Just open the gate," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

There was a chuckle over the line and the gate opened with a small creak.

* * *

Naruto stepped into Sasuke's house with his hands glued to his sides as he surveyed the inside with awe. It was freakin huge!

"Dobe," Sasuke said, and Naruto tensed and looked at his new tutor.

"What's the matter with you? You're in my house, not the marines."

Naruto nodded and let himself relax……just a bit.

"Let's go up to my ro-"

"LITTLE BROTHER!"

Sasuke groaned and rolled his eyes. He suddenly whipped around to Naruto, grabbed him by his shoulders, and kissed him.

Naruto's eyes widened a fraction as Sasuke's lips lapped at his own oh so softly, and an older version of Sasuke with his hair tied back came running into the room.

Naruto shut his eyes out of pain as "older Sasuke" let out nothing short of a fangirl squeal.

"Sasu finally got a boyfriend!" he cried happily, clasping his hands together. "If only mother and father were home! GASP! Camera! Where's my camera!?"

The older Sasuke was suddenly gone as he sped down the hall like his feet were on fire.

Sasuke pulled away from Naruto and broke the kiss, Naruto staring distantly at Sasuke.

"C'mon quick, before he finds where I hid his camera," Sasuke said, pulling Naruto up the stairs by his hand.

* * *

"Ok, now take the square root of that, multiply it by 2.55 and make it a coefficient to get the quotient."

Naruto followed Sasuke's steps, working out the math problem on a sheet of loose-leaf paper as Sasuke stared at him uneasily from across the table.

Ever since the "necessary kiss", Naruto had been completely silent, not even letting so much as a "teme" pass his lips. He hadn't even asked Sasuke why the hell he did it in the first place! Naruto's face was as calm as ever, but Sasuke could somehow sense the uneasiness rippling off of him in subtle waves.

"So after I get the quotient, should I plug the answer back into y or-"

Sasuke took Naruto's pencil from his hand, placing it beside him, and Naruto gave Sasuke a quizzical look.

"Naruto, let me explain that kiss," Sasuke said, then paused expecting to be interrupted. He was surprised when Naruto didn't speak and locked his gaze with him, silently edging him on.

Sasuke sighed.

"My brother is really weird," he said. "If he had just seen you and me standing there, he would have bombed you with questions about us 'dating' or some crap like that. The kiss was to get him away; I knew he'd want his camera since I've never dated or so much as kissed anyone in my life…except you that is. It didn't mean anything."

"Don't do it again."

Sasuke flinched a bit at Naruto's tone of voice, so utterly empty…

"What?" Sasuke said stupidly, although he had heard the blonde perfectly well.

Naruto moved his eyes to look at the floor.

"I said, don't do it again…" he said quietly. "I'm going to explain why. I'm not like a homophobe or anything. I just…don't want you to."

Sasuke nodded, and then stood up.

"I'm going to put a pizza in the oven for us. Can you finish the rest of the problems?"

Naruto smiled a bit and nodded as Sasuke left the room, the Uchiha's heart fluttering a little from the brief flash of affection over Naruto's face. He silently wondered why Naruto didn't want to be kissed if he wasn't homophobic…

* * *

"Here dobe," Sasuke said, walking in fifteen minutes later with two plates of pizza and some sodas.

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.

Naruto was splayed out over his paper, his pencil hanging limply in his hand and his head tilted to rest against on of his arms as he snoozed. The light from Sasuke's window by his bed spilled into the room and dappled Naruto's golden locks that fell in timed spikes over his face. The sun caressed his tan skin and illuminated his cheeks, his pink lips slightly parted as his breath wove in and out of his body in a gentle rhythm.

Sasuke placed the food and drinks down on his computer desk as he walked over to Naruto, his eyes licking up the boy's beauty.

Sasuke reached out a hand and attentively brushed it against Naruto's cheek. He jumped a bit when Naruto groaned, thinking that he was waking up. The blonde instead pressed his face into Sasuke's touch, and the Uchiha smiled softly. He rubbed Naruto's cheek gently as he cupped it in his hand, relishing the warmth, and he could have sworn that Naruto let out a purr.

Sasuke shook his head and pulled back his hand.

"Dobe, I brought pizza," Sasuke said, shaking Naruto gently by the shoulder.

Naruto groaned and lifted his head.

"Are you ok?" Sasuke asked.

"Too…much…math…"

* * *

"Right here," Naruto said as Sasuke pulled up to the curb and stopped the car.

"This is your house?" Sasuke asked, a bit surprised. It was nothing special, just a regular medium sized residence. But that was just it. The teens that went to Konoha All Boys Academy _had_ to be rich to get in!

Sasuke turned off the engine as he and Naruto stepped out of the car.

"Um…what are you doing?" Naruto asked as he walked up the steps to the porch of the house.

"What does it look like dobe?" Sasuke scoffed. "I'm walking you to your door."

"No, it's fine."

"I'm already out of the car usuratonkachi."

"Then go back teme!"

Naruto turned the handle on the front door, and then paused when it wouldn't open. He jiggled it a bit, cursing under his breath.

"Dobe! Did you lock your own door without bringing a key!?" Sasuke said, fuming.

"Shut it teme! I didn't bring my key because I left the door unlocked!"

Naruto sighed.

"I'll just go in by the garage," he said, walking to the side of the house. He fished into his pocket and pulled out a small red button. Aiming it at the garage, the door mechanically opened to reveal a white sports car that simply _reeked_ of expensiveness.

Naruto felt his heart jump into his throat as his eyes grew wide at the sight.

"Who's car?" Sasuke asked.

"Jiraiya's…" Naruto said, walking into the garage as if every step he took was hindered by a three-hundred pound weight.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Now Naruto was just acting plain weird. He had said that Jiraiya was loud, but shouldn't he have been happy that his guardian, his father figure, was home for once?

Naruto walked up the steps and reached for the door handle, when it swung open. There in the doorway stood a tall man with long white spiked hair, red bleeding tattoos under his eyes, and a bit of a belly. Sasuke guessed that he was in his mid fifties.

"Jiraiya…" Naruto said, and Sasuke noticed that's the blonde's expression had suddenly become as empty as ever, his blue eyes emotionless.

"Naruto. Welcome back," Jiraiya said, and Sasuke could smell the foul odor of alcohol on his breath. "Who's this?"

"No one," Naruto said, looking back at Sasuke with hollow eyes. "Just someone from school."

Sasuke looked at Naruto's eyes and saw a flicker of emotion. It was only for a moment, but Sasuke caught it.

_Help._

"Yea," Sasuke said, pulling his Uchiha original uncaring face on. "See ya."

With that Sasuke turned and left, but not before flashing Naruto a look.

_See you at school.

* * *

_

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Don't worry, there is NO sexual abuse in this fic! Nu-uh! None! Zip! Nada! But there is sadly some physical abuse to come. I so sorry! I am a mean author! T.T**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	4. Break Me Down

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Gonbawa! Nice long chappie for everyone! ;)**

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**Anon Reviewer Replies since there's a new "Reply to Review" button:D**

**To nanamen: O.o Arigatou!!! I'm so happy that you and all other reviewers like it! T.T I'm not worthy!!!**

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**Chapter Dedication:**

**T.T –sniff— I feel so grateful and unworthy of all of your amazing splendeferous reviews! Seriously, I do!!! What did I do to deserve so much praise? And not just this, but for ALL my fanfics! T.T This one is for HoshitheHorse, scoggzie, and nanamen…--sniff-- I NOT WORTHY!!!**

**By the way, ****YEPPERS, KYUU IS NARUTO IN DISGUISE!!!! XD

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Chapter Four: Break Me Down

"AH!" Naruto shouted as Jiraiya gave him a hard kick in the stomach, sending him backward so that his back hit the wall and his arm crashed into a nearby vase, shattering it against his skin.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!?" Jiraiya yelled, standing in front of Naruto.

"I-I was being tutored in math," Naruto croaked, holding his bloody arm. He gasped as Jiraiya suddenly held him up by his throat and smashed him against the wall again.

"Don't give me that shit," he said dangerously, the alcohol on his breath rippling across Naruto's face and causing the blonde to cringe in disgust.

"Jiraiya…" Naruto gasped. "Y-you're drunk." He knew that it was futile, but he could try. Jiraiya would have kicked him even if he wasn't drunk, but when he was, it was just worse.

"I know that you damn brat!" Jiraiya shouted, tightening his grip on Naruto's throat. Naruto winced as he felt Jiraiya's nails dig into the soft flesh there, drawing hot blood.

"You were with your shitty friends in that Kurochi gang, weren't you!?"

"No Jiraiya…I wasn't….I-I swear…"

Jiraiya released Naruto who fell to the ground shakily, coughing.

He slowly got up, holding his arm close as blood dripped down his neck. He could fight back if he wanted to, beat the crap out of Jiraiya, but he wouldn't. Even if the man was a terrible father figure, he was still the closest thing Naruto had to a family at this point.

"YOU FREAKING LIAR!" Jiraiya suddenly shouted, and punched Naruto in the gut. Naruto hit the wall again, struggling to keep himself up as he choked and coughed up blood.

"You're always such a little shit to take care of, you know that brat!?" Jiraiya screamed. "You can't do anything right! You can't even lie the right way, and now you need freaking tutoring!? You worthless piece of-"

"Shit?" Naruto finished, looking up at Jiraiya. "Is that what you were going to say?" Naruto laughed a bit. "Yea, I guess I am. But I'm only a shitty kid because I have a shitty guardian."

Jiraiya whipped out his hand a slapped Naruto hard across the face, a sickening smack reverberating through the silent house.

Naruto winced, but he didn't cry out even if he wanted to. No, he was stronger than that. His body hurt like hell at this point, but he wouldn't show it.

"You little bastard!" Jiraiya shouted, kicking Naruto's side and sending him to the floor.

"I took you in! I gave you a home! You! You're just some SICK DEMON!"

Naruto struggled up. C'mon, get up. Kyuubi would get up again, he wouldn't falter.

"You're the reason that your parents are gone!" Jiraiya continued. "Your mother died spawning a demon like you, and your father was killed by his rival company! He wouldn't have been shot if his company hadn't grown so large! And who was that because of? YOU!!! You were his 'inspiration' to work harder! YOU DEMON BASTARD! GOT TO HELL!"

Naruto felt his eyes burn as he walked to his room, Jiraiya ranting in the living room as he trudged up the stairs.

* * *

Naruto locked the door and let himself collapse against it, his body too sore to walk to his bed.

Jiraiya did this regularly when he was home, but he had been extra pissed tonight…

Naruto crawled over to his desk and rummaged through the top drawer until he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He placed a smoke in his mouth and lit the end, breathing in and letting it out slowly as he removed the cigarette from his mouth between his middle and index finger. Naruto only smoked when he was VERY upset or aggravated, just to get his mind off of things. Somehow he couldn't get addicted to smoking, most likely because of his superhuman immune system.

(A/N: I HATE SMOKING! NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL!!!)

Naruto closed his eyes and listened to his breathing for a few moments.

"_Hey Miss Murder can I, hey Miss Murder can I, make beauty stay if I take my life? Whoa oh oh…"_

Naruto blinked. How long had his cell phone been ringing?

"_Dreams of his crash won't pass. Oh, how they all adored him. Beauty will last when spiraled down."_

Naruto rummaged into his pocket and flipped open the phone.

"Hello?" he said, letting out a stream of smoke.

"_Hey Naruto,"_ Temari said over the line. _"How's it going?"_

"Fine," Naruto lied.

"_Ok, we've got to work on your fibbing skills,"_ Temari said, laughing a bit. _"What's wrong? Are you alright?"_

"I said I'm fine," Naruto said, wincing as he felt his chest throb.

"_You're smoking aren't you?"_

"No," Naruto said, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"_Yes you are. You only smoke when you're really upset. What happened?"_

Naruto paused.

"Jiraiya," he said, and he heard Temari gasp.

"_He's back early? Are you ok? What'd he do!? Did he hurt you again!?"_

"Calm down," Naruto said, letting out another billow of smoke. "You shouldn't be so surprised. He's been doing this for two years."

"_Naruto, are you bleeding? Are you hurt badly!?"_

Naruto looked down at his crimson arm and battered body, and he stayed silent.

"_I'm coming over in five minutes,"_ Temari said, and hung up the phone.

"Temari, don't-" Naruto cursed as he heard the click of the line and the call ended.

* * *

Naruto sat up from his bloodstained bed and looked out his window when he heard a car engine, and he saw Temari outside in her silver 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage waiting for him.

Naruto limped over to his door and pressed his ear against it. He heard what sounded like a lion roar on crack and knew that Jiraiya was snoring and asleep.

He unlocked the door and quietly slipped out. Before he left he stopped by his bathroom and grabbed his red hair dye, just in case he needed Kyuubi.

* * *

Temari chewed nervously on her fingernail as she sat in the front seat of her car, waiting for Naruto.

Jiraiya had been physically abusing Naruto for two years already, and the beatings steadily got worse as the blonde grew older. Naruto wouldn't hear of reporting Jiraiya, as it would only land him in a foster home, and mostly because in his father's will, he had asked that Naruto be taken care of by Jiraiya until he was eighteen.

Naruto wouldn't disappoint his father, where ever he was up there.

Temari's head shot up as she heard a door close and footsteps hit dry pavement.

Her eyes widened as Naruto limped down to the car, his arm bloody and hanging limply by his side. His hair was ruffled, his left cheek bruised, a slight spray of crimson stained his shirt.

Temari rushed out of her car and ran to Naruto, and when she was close enough she could hear his heavy and hindered breath.

Naruto grinned at Temari, who had tears starting to form in her eyes as she looked at the broken boy in front of her.

"Hey, " Naruto breathed, still smiling. "Thanks…"

Naruto's eyes closed and he suddenly threatened to fall backward when Temari grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him against her. She raised an eyebrow at how easy he was to maneuver, seeming to weigh less than a sack of flour.

"Naruto, have you been eating at all?" Temari asked, and Naruto gripped her jacket.

"Temari…" he breathed. "Thank you….…thank you……thank you…"

"Baka, it's fine," Temari said softly, running a hand through Naruto's golden locks soothingly to calm him. Naruto was like another younger brother to her.

"I would have taken you with me kicking and screaming anyways."

There was a long pause before Naruto whispered,

"I'm sorry…"

Tears finally made their way to Temari's eyes as she held Naruto even closer in an embrace at those words.

"Don't say that," she said strongly. "You didn't do anything! I don't even know why you're saying sorry!"

Naruto coughed more blood, turning his head away so that it splattered onto the pavement instead of Temari's shirt as he leaned his head against her shoulder.

"I-I'm causing you all this t-trouble," he choked out.

"It's not trouble!" Temari said forcefully as her tears continued to spill and mixed with Naruto's blood on the cement below. "It never was, isn't now, and never will be. Anything relating to you will never be trouble, Naruto…"

Temari cradled Naruto in her arms and buried her face in Naruto's golden mane.

"Naruto…my little brother…it'll be alright," she said, her voice soft and caressing. "You'll be alright. Don't say you're sorry, it wasn't your fault…"

Naruto shut his eyes firmly and gripped Temari's shirt tighter as if clinging for dear life.

"Shh, I'm here otouto. I've got you, nothing can hurt you now. Shh…"

Naruto felt himself fade as Temari spoke sweet nothings softly, her voice weaving through the chilly autumn wind to reach his ears as everything died away to inky blackness.

* * *

Temari pulled into the garage that she and her brothers Kankuro and Gaara shared together. They lived on their own after their uncle died, moving out and finding their own home. It was a little larger than Naruto's, and much more comfy and home-like.

Temari sighed as she shut off the engine and looked at Naruto, unconscious next to her. She felt tears well up in her eyes again as she brushed his blond hair up from his face, letting it slide over her fingertips and fall back over his closed eyes.

She shook them off and stepped out of the car, going around to the passenger side. She pulled out Naruto, carrying him delicately to the garage door, and noticed how light he was.

If he wasn't eating again he was in BIG trouble!

Kankuro lifted his head from his puppet that he had names Karasu, his favorite hobby, and gasped.

"What the hell!?" he cried, dropping the wooden figure onto the living room table as he rushed over to Temari, holding an unconscious and bloody and bruised Naruto.

"What happened to Naruto!?" Kankuro said.

"Jiraiya happened," Temari answered.

"Gods! Why won't he ever call the cops or somethin' on the guy! Just because he's his freakin 'adoptive father'!"

Temari rolled her eyes as Kankuro ranted on, waving his arms fanatically and spilling out a cuss word here and there for emphasis.

"Jiraiya came back early?"

Kankuro yelped as Gaara appeared from no where beside him, his face devoid of emotion.

"Yea. Naruto wouldn't tell me the details," Temari said, and Gaara blinked. Anyone else would have thought that the boy didn't care, but Temari knew her brother better than that. She saw the evident fear and anxiety reflected in his eyes, and she smiled a bit. She always knew that Gaara had a "thing" for Naruto. Whether or not it was beyond being just friends was none of Temari's business. (Juicy gossip as it was.)

"Gaara, Kankuro is kind of out of it…" Temari flicked her gaze to her other now hyperventilating brother. "…and I think Naruto would feel more comfortable having another guy clean up his wounds since he's not awake to tell us where they are, so why don't you take him to the guest room and grab the first aid kit?"

Gaara nodded, and Temari transferred the bundle of crimson gold carefully over to Gaara.

* * *

Gaara laid Naruto out on the large queen-sized guest bed carefully and examined him.

His arm was cut and bleeding with some glass shards stuck in his skin, and there was a bruise on his left whiskered cheek. At least, this was all that was visible at the moment with his clothes on.

Gaara decided to clean and wrap up Naruto's arm first, carefully disposing of the stubborn fragment in his sun-kissed skin. It had obviously bled much more prior since there was now a minimal amount of blood seeping through the white bandages, despite the gash and various cuts.

Gaara then retrieved a cold wash cloth and placed it over Naruto's cheek, the blonde cringing a bit from the chill.

Gaara removed Naruto's bloodstained jacket, noticing he was still in his Konoha Academy uniform of a black jacket, white button up shirt underneath, and black pants. He placed the jacket on his dresser, and caught his breath when he turned back.

There was no blood on Naruto's shirt, stark white against his skin and making it glow. His hair was splayed over his face, his eyes just barely visible through the shards of gold. His firm but slender chest was outlined under the whiteness of the shirt, his whisker-like scars predominant against the light colors.

Gaara's eyes widened as Naruto groaned and shifted in his sleep.

Gaara ran a hand through his crimson hair, letting out a sigh to relax himself.

"_You can handle this,"_ he told himself. _"It's just Naruto…the guy you like…on your bed…groaning…"_

Gaara did a face-palm and shook his head as he kneeled back over Naruto to start unbuttoning his shirt.

Suddenly Naruto lifted his chest up, his hips in turn and threw his head back as he let out the most erotic moan Gaara thought he would ever hear in his life, his breath rippling across the redhead's pale face.

Gaara gulped and covered his nose as he felt the blood rush to his face. Speaking of their faces…

Gaara blinked as he realized that his eyes were inches from the blonde. More importantly, so were his lips.

"_No! Don't take advantage of this!"_

Gaara swung his head around and looked left and right as he heard a small voice, but saw no one.

"_Over here! To your right!"_

Gaara swiveled his head right to see a tiny version of himself standing on his shoulder wearing a white robe with white angel wings and a gold shining halo.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Gaara said to the mini him. Mini angel Gaara crossed his arms.

"_What the hell does it look like? I'm you!"_ he said.

"I do _not_ sound like that. That voice is way too high to be mine."

"_Oh fine! If you want to get all technical on my ass. I'm your shoulder angel!"_

"I don't have shoulder angels."

"_Everyone does you moron."_

"Then where were you when my dad abandoned me and my siblings?"

"_Um…"_

"Or the time my uncle tried to kill me?"

"_Er, you see…"_

"Or how about when-"

"_Alright already! I get it, sheesh! Look, everyone's shoulder angels show up when their sense of right and wrong for a situation is equally balanced. EQUALLY! That doesn't happen a lot! You're always inclined more to one side even if it doesn't seem like it! But now you're not! Geez, I've got enough work on my shoulders and I've still gotta deal with you. This is important, so grab that stick out of your ass and listen up!"_

Well, he definitely had Gaara's attitude.

"_Ok, don't kiss Naruto or do anything else but bandage him up! This could mess up your friendship with him. And more importantly, if you want a relationship with him, don't let him see that you'll take advantage of him! He'll feel uncomfortable around you and it'll ruin everything!"_

"_**Pfft, don't listen to the white fluff ball. Go on, go for it!"**_

Gaara and mini angel Gaara turned their heads to the right only too see another shoulder angel.

On Gaara's left shoulder perched another mini version of himself. He was lying on his side, propping his head up with his palm a bit lazily. He wore a tight blood red halter top that stopped at his chest, showing his firm stomach, and skin tight black leather pants. Out of the back of his pants a red-forked tail swished back and forth, tiny fragile wings black and ripped sprouted from his back, and from the top of his head grew two wine red horns, outlined with black. He smirked at Gaara's unusually expressive face.

"_**Don't look so surprised. You're evil side is also your more flirtatious and naughty one,"**_ he said, grinning.

The mini Gaara angel flew up to the larger redhead's face and gave him a smack on the forehead.

"Ouch," Gaara said, glaring at him.

"_Pay attention! Don't make a move on Naruto!"_ it said.

"_**Are you kidding me?"**_ the devil scoffed. _**"You'll never get another opportunity like this! He's out cold and probably wouldn't even wake up if you did anything!"**_

The devil gave his wings a little pulse, and he easily flew down from Gaara's shoulder to flutter over Naruto.

"_**I mean c'mon! Look at this guy! I get hard just looking at him…"**_ the devil Gaara said, licking his lips. He looked up at Gaara.

"_**I personally know that you have a burning desire to-oof!"**_ the devil was pushed out of the way by the angel, who fluttered on front of Gaara and clasped his hands together.

"_I'm begging you! Don't listen to him!" _he cried, his eyes going big and glassy.

The angel was shoved back by the devil.

"_**That's all bull! Everyone knows that the evil guys always have more fun! Naruto won't wake up, so just give in!"**_

"_No! Don't!"_

"_**Do!"**_

"_Don't!"_

"_**Do!"**_

"_Don't!"_

"_**Come here you bastard pansy!"**_

Gaara blinked as the mini versions of himself lunged at each other and grappled, punching, kicking, and releasing a quite colorful rainbow of cuss words.

Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Enough," he said, quickly grabbing the two shoulder angels, the devil by the tail and the angel by the collar.

"_Ha! See, he chose me!"_ the angel cried victoriously.

"_**Keep dreamin' fluffy!"**_

"_I know he did!"_

"_**Hn, you wanna bet on that?"**_

"_Betting is a sin!"_

"_**I put down sixty on myself."**_

"_Seventy on me!"_

"SHUT UP."

The two looked at their larger self, killing intent evident in his aquamarine eyes.

"Leave. NOW."

The angel nodded and grabbed the devil by the tail as Gaara released him.

"_**Nuuu! I wanna watch!"**_ the devil cried, wriggling.

The angel rolled his eyes as he disappeared in a poof and the devil in a burst of flames.

Gaara rubbed his temple and sighed deeply.

"I've gotta stop watching _"Fallen,"_ he groaned to himself before turning his eyes back onto the situation at hand- Naruto.

Gaara held his breath as he reached out and brushed his hand against Naruto's unharmed cheek, and he felt a tingle run up his spine.

Gaara rested the rest of his palm against the blonde's cheek closed his eyes at the feeling of the warmth creeping up his skin and spreading throughout his body.

Gaara leaned over more and nuzzled Naruto's neck, previously bleeding, which he had patched up quickly. Naruto groaned and turned his head, exposing more of his neck to the warmth he felt. Gaara carefully moved over Naruto, the bed creaking slightly as he looked down at the blonde from his hands-and-knees position overtop him.

He buried his face in Naruto's neck again, rubbing against it affectionately. Naruto's nose twitched as Gaara's hair tickled it.

Gaara made his way down, snuggling and nuzzling over Naruto's collar and his shirt. Suddenly Naruto winced and he gasped a bit as Gaara placed his hand on his left side and pressed his head against his stomach gently.

Gaara lifted back up, lifting an eyebrow, and smacked himself.

No, really! He literally smacked himself right across the face!

What the hell was he doing!? Naruto was injured and he was completely taking advantage of it!

Gaara moved off of Naruto, and in the parallel universe of Gaara's mind, a little red-haired angel was seventy bucks richer.

Gaara unbuttoned Naruto's shirt, and his eyes widened a bit.

Naruto had a dark bruise on his side, and another large purplish-blue one right over his stomach.

Gaara sighed as he went to retrieve two other cold washcloths.

He returned one minute later to find the beautiful blonde staring up at the ceiling. He turned his head when he heard footsteps.

"Gaara…" he said softly, using his uninjured arm to try to prop himself up, but wincing and falling back onto the bed a moment later.

Gaara shook his head as he walked over to Naruto.

"You always have too much energy. For once you have too many bruises to use it," he said. He placed the cold wash clothes over Naruto's beaten skin, and the blonde winced and shivered.

Gaara took the warmer washcloth from Naruto's cheek to find that the swelling had reduced to a slight reddish tint. Naruto always was a crazy fast healer.

"You should rest," Gaara said, moving back to the door. "Temari said that you can sleep over."

Naruto nodded, and then a flicker of worry passed his eyes.

"But this is your room," he said. "Where will you sleep?"

"Since you don't seem to be able to move anytime soon, I'll sleep in the guest room," Gaara said.

Naruto nodded, and gasped as Gaara suddenly appeared right in front of him. How the heck did he do that teleportation thingy!?

Gaara closed the space between them, pressing his lips against Naruto's. Naruto's eyes widened momentarily, and as Gaara requested entrance to his mouth…Naruto pushed him away.

"Gaara," Naruto said, looking down. "I can't…I just can't see you as more than a best friend. And it's not about Haku. You and I have been best friends since freshman year. I love you as that same best friend…but nothing else. I'm sorry Gaara."

Gaara blinked, and then nodded, hiding the hurt in his eyes.

"I understand," he said truthfully, walking to the door.

"Gaara."

Gaara turned as he stood in the doorway and his eyes met Naruto's. That dazzling sky blue seemed so drained and helpless…

"I haven't loved anyone as more than a close friend in my entire life," he said, and laughed a bit. "In fact, compared to most people our age, I've barely been loved at all."

Gaara's eyes widened momentarily, and he felt a twinge of pain for the beautiful blonde across from him.

Gaara like Naruto had never known the love of parents or a guardian, but Gaara at least had his siblings to love and care for him everyday, and his first love was also Naruto. Even though Naruto was hurting him now, it couldn't compare to the feeling of the love he held for him. It was an amazing feeling of hope and joy…something Naruto hadn't felt in years since his best friend was murdered.

Gaara's eyes softened, and unable to find any words to say, he quietly closed the door.

Naruto turned over to his unharmed side and closed his eyes.

Love…he had watched movies about it, read books about it, and he's seen it in the eyes of lovers he passed in the Falling Leaf Café, but he could never relate.

And at this point, he thought that he never would.

* * *

**T.T Soooo cruel! I updated quickly with a bribe of cake! O.o Gimme cookies and I'll update soon again!!! Lol!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	5. To Protect

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Vacation is coming to an end…--sniff--…**

**Gomi-kun: -.-'**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: DO YOU MIND!? I'M GRIEVING HERE!!!**

**Gomi-kun: o-o**

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**Reviewer Replies-**

**To HoshitheHorse: I'll probably be crying buckets of tears when I write about what happened to Haku…--sniff--…so tragic! T.T**

**To Nemu Ame: Nomnomnom me likie cookies! Thank vuuuuu! Yes, I needed more angst, so Jiraiya is mean. I've never found a lot a lot of fics that portray him as an abusive drinker….O.o Thanks for the review! ;3**

**To scoggzie: O.o Dats a lot o' cookies! –grabs plate— X3 Thank you for loving this story enough to give me so many cookies! Yatta! Gomi-kun: Can I have one…? Sky-eyed Kitsune: NU! THEY BE MINE! –hisses— Gomi-kun: T.T**

**To mimiteufel: NOM NOM NOM SO MANY COOKKKIIIEEESSSS! XD**

**To nanamen: LOL! Your boss caught you? T.T I sorry! But your review made me laugh! X3 Arigatou! I'm happy that I deserve these reviews! I was a bit down recently because I had a reviewer (who actually did not flame but favorite one of my other stories) say that I wrote weird…but thank you for lifting my spirits!**

**To Ninjalicious Babe: Yayayayaya cookie!**

**To Ellwing: Lol!**

**To Angel of Lavender: Kyuubi is Naruto's alter ego cause he has a split personality, so yea, his eyes change color when he switches.**

**To anime-girl-cutie: Pwease…let me have the chocolate…I updated…T.T Haku's story will be told soon, and with it the reason why Naruto has a split personality!**

**To DesperateMeasures: It's not really soon…but I updated nonetheless!**

**To KitsuneyJenfner: I kno! Jiraiya sooooo mean! T.T**

**To cluelessninja65: Oreos **_**and**_** cheesecake!? O.O ZOMGZOMGZOMG! WANT!!! Wow, you review so much for my fics…I so honored!!!**

**To moonlit dew: Thank yoos! I wanted to make this fic different than the norm, and I likes me some emo!naru! UN!**

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**Chapter Dedication:**

**Zomg, I luved ALL of your reviews! (I'm not sayin that to be lazeh! I means it!) This is for all yous reviewers that I replied to for this chappie…which is all of ju! Luvs ya!!!****

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**Chapter Five: To Protect**

Sasuke sighed in English as he sporadically glanced at his watch every two minutes.

He laid his head down on his folded arms on his desk as he listened to Iruka go on and on about "Paradise Lost".

Sasuke stared ahead of him where a blonde mop of spiked hair should have been.

Where was Naruto?

Sasuke thought back to yesterday. Everything seemed fine until…until he walked Naruto to his door and he saw his guardian. Naruto's face that Sasuke had tried so hard to get emotion out of had hardened back to a detached façade.

Naruto had said that Jiraiya was loud when he was home…but was that all?

Sasuke bolted up from his seat as the bell rang and students gathered their things to go to lunch.

Sasuke sped out of the room, down the hall, threw his books in his locker, and rushed out to the back campus.

He caught his breath, leaning against an elderly weeping willow.

He sat down at its roots thinly visible beneath the layer of dirt tacked to the ground by footsteps. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his black and navy blue phone.

Sasuke flipped it open and went through his contacts list, hitting the call button when he had reached the blonde's name.

Naruto had given Sasuke his number in case he needed to contact Kyuubi through him.

Sasuke heard the humming that signaled ringing on the other line.

One ring.

Two.

Three.

Pick up dammit!

"_Hey it's Naruto. Leave a message."_

BEEP.

"Naruto…uh…"

Sasuke cleared in his throat.

"Dobe, where the heck are you?" he said. "You were fine yesterday until…"

Sasuke sighed.

"I know you said that Jiraiya is noisy, but…is that really all?"

Sasuke paused a moment as if the phone would answer.

"Anyways," he continued. "If you're sick or something then ok, but if you're ditching school I'm gonna kick your ass when you get back here."

* * *

Naruto groaned and turned over, wincing as his sore body hit the mattress, even soft as it was. 

His eyes fluttered open and he saw shreds of gold inhibiting his vision along with morning-sight-fuzziness.

Naruto blinked and rubbed his eyes with his good arm, moving his hair out of the way. He focused on the green neon lights in front of him.

12:13 pm.

Damn it felt good to sleep in, especially after the night before—

Naruto closed his eyes again as the previous night's happenings rolled in his head like a movie clip. But this wasn't unusual.

Quite the contrary; it was almost like a ritual every time Jiraiya came back from a business trip to yell at Naruto and physically abuse him. Half the time he was drunk, and others he was amazingly sober. Naruto preferred him to have the lowest possible alcohol concentration in his body, for the drunker Jiraiya got, the harsher his beatings became. Soon after he would collapse and fall asleep, whether it be on the floor or the couch.

The next morning would follow up with a killer hangover in which Jiraiya wouldn't even so much as try to speak for fear of hurling his guts up for the millionth time.

Naruto knew that Jiraiya was aware he was abusing him, but he didn't give a damn. Naruto had never asked for an apology and had never gotten one. The closest thing to an apology that he had ever received was Jiraiya mumbling about Naruto not worth the energy and ordering the blonde to clean up the bloodstains he had left on the floor from the night before.

In other words, for Naruto, this was nothing new.

Naruto sat up, wincing and hissing as his skin pulled and scrunched the black and blue bruises on his chest.

For a moment he just sat there and stared down at his hands when he suddenly heard a faint beep.

He looked to the source of the noise and found his cell phone lying next to the digital clock, a blue light flashing on it to indicate a new message.

Naruto stretched out his good arm and grabbed the orange piece of plastic, pressing a button and holding it to his ear as he let out a wide yawn, displaying sharper-than-average canines.

"_Naruto…uh…"_

Naruto's eyes almost shot out of his head.

"Sasuke!?"

"_Dobe, where the heck are you?"_ Sasuke's message said. _"You were fine yesterday until…"_

Naruto heard Sasuke sigh, and he cocked an eyebrow.

"_I know you said that Jiraiya is noisy, but…is that really all?"_

As Sasuke paused Naruto swallowed hard and touched his bruised chest. Sasuke sound concerned…the bastard sound concerned…

"_Anyways,"_ Sasuke continued. _"If you're sick or something then ok, but if you're ditching school I'm gonna kick your ass when you get back here."_

"As if," Naruto retorted aloud, shutting his phone. He placed it on the desk and stared at it for a moment.

So Sasuke was his math tutor…so what? They weren't friends or anything…right? Yea! Barely acquaintances! But why would the bastard, whom he had seen only hang out with his little circle of jocks and shun all others, bother to call and check up on him?

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and Temari and Kankuro stood smiling at him. Well…one smiling and the other bawling into the back of his sister's shirt.

"Hey Naruto," Temari said, walking into the room as her brother, despite being much taller and more muscled than his sibling, clung to her.

Naruto raised an eyebrow for the second time.

"Um….Kankuro?"

"NARUTO!!!"

Naruto winced as Kankuro released his sister and glomped the blonde ferociously, practically squeezing the life out of him.

"Naruto! You're alive! I thought Jiraiya had killed you! Are you ok!? How do you feel!? How many fingers am I holding up!?!?"

"G-get…..-wheeze-……..off…" Naruto choked.

Temari ripped her brother off the poor blonde who gasped for air and nodded thanks.

"Heh…sorry Naruto," Kankuro said.

"It's ok," Naruto said.

"You do that every time he gets hurt," Temari said, rolling her eyes. "He's probably used to it by now."

"True," Kankuro said, chuckling.

Naruto smiled, then swiveled his body in bed to look past Temari and her brother.

"Is Gaara at school?" he asked, and Kankuro nodded.

"We made him go," he said. "He wanted to stay and look after you, but we told him no since our University doesn't have class today."

Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Oh, and by the way," Temari interjected. "Gaara will be filling in for Kyuubi as Uchiha's bodygu-"

"No."

Temari's eyes widened at the rough command. She looked at Naruto's eyes as they swirled red and knew that his alter ego, Kyuubi, was speaking. His eyes always changed when the respected gang leader was talking.

"I'm fine," Kyuubi said. "If I sleep until I have to meet Sasuke I should have plenty of energy. I'm a fast healer."

Temari sighed but nodded.

Kyuubi's word was final.

* * *

Sasuke departed from Konoha's cushy white bus as the rest of the soccer team unloaded. He looked around for his handsome red-head bodyguard, but didn't see him. 

"So where is he?" Neji asked as he, Lee, and Shikamaru got off the large vehicle behind Sasuke, all sporting their soccer bags over their shoulders which held their uniforms.

Sasuke pulled back his navy sleeve and looked at his watch.

3:32.

He had said 3:30…so where was he?

Sasuke looked down as his black cell phone that hung from his wallet chain buzzed. He unclipped it and held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Hello Uchiha."_

Sasuke's eyes widened a bit.

"Kyuubi?"

"_Yea."_

"Where are you?"

"_Left side of Otogakure's garden wall. Meet me there and I'll follow you as your so called 'bodyguard'."_

Sasuke flipped his phone shut as the line disconnected, and he smirked at his friends.

"I'm going to get Kyuubi."

* * *

Sasuke turned the corner into the garden along the wall of Otogakure, his body unwillingly shaking. 

"C'mon…get it together! You met the guy!" he said to himself. "He doesn't even look that dangerous…"

"Hm, that's interesting. I thought you hired me as a bodyguard because I _was._"

Sasuke froze.

He swallowed and turned his head to the left, his face belying his inner shock.

Kyuubi stood leaning against the building's red brick wall, his hands in the pocket of a pair of black jeans carefully ripped at the knees. They were tight around his hips, shaping his body as the black pants ran into a fishnet shirt covered by a long-sleeved ruby red button-up left open. Through it Sasuke saw his tan complexion and muscles softly carved over his torso and a complex tattoo over his belly button. His crimson hair stuck up in wild spikes, shards of it framing his face and brushing against his shoulders. His red eyes flared and illuminated his whisker-like scars that seemed to be painted on his skin with a delicate kanji brush. Between his pink cherry lips he balanced a cigarette that let out a thin stream of steady smoke, and on closer examination, Sasuke noticed that Kyuubi's ears were both double pierced with a small silver hoop and stud.

Sasuke swallowed again.

He knew why Kyuubi and Naruto were related now.

They were both damn hot!

"Like what you see?"

Sasuke blinked and Kyuubi smirked.

"You left your eyeballs on the floor Uchiha," Kyuubi sneered, and Sasuke glared.

"Sorry, I was expecting something out of the ordinary," Sasuke retorted, and Kyuubi laughed lightly.

He pulled his cigarette from his mouth with his middle and index finger, letting a stream of smoke escape his lips.

Sasuke grimaced as the cloud hit his face; he couldn't stand smoking.

"Bold one, aren't we Uchiha?" Kyuubi said. He used the wall to snuff out his cigarette and flicked it into a nearby trashcan since no ashtray was available.

Kyuubi walked up to Sasuke, a bit shorter than the brunette but still defiant. Sasuke's eyes widened a bit as he now noticed a bruise over Kyuubi's beautiful cheek. Not only that, but scanning him, Sasuke also saw that his golden chest was littered with the blue tinted stains.

"Take a picture," Kyuubi spat, glaring hard at Sasuke. Sasuke smirked.

"Got in a little too much trouble to handle, did we?"

Sasuke only had an instant to blink before he found himself rammed up against a brick wall with a tan hand wrapped around his throat as fiery eyes engulfed his own onyx ones.

"Shut up," Kyuubi said, his voice perched on a dangerous ledge.

Sasuke blinked again. How the hell did he pin him so quickly!?

"That reminds me," Kyuubi said, not releasing Sasuke. "You called Naruto. Why?"

Sasuke flared a bit.

"I did call _him_ and not _you_ so that's his business."

"His business is my business," Kyuubi growled.

"What, just because you're related and some crazy ass strong gang leader you think you run his life? Pfft."

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes as he slowly lowered Sasuke to the ground and released his throat.

He turned his back to Sasuke as said brunette rubbed his abused windpipe.

"Don't…"

Sasuke looked over to Kyuubi and his eyes widened.

Kyuubi stood there, his head tilted up to the sky as the wind rustled his hair. His eyes were soft embers as if trying to caress the clouds above him.

"Don't…say that," he said quietly. "Naruto and I…we're…….too close for words. More than just sharing the same blood. It's…complicated. But I will never control his life."

Sasuke blinked.

What, did the guy have some kind of split personality or something? One minute he was ramming up Sasuke against a wall, and the next he was cloud-gazing!

"Huh?" Sasuke said stupidly, unable to get anything else out.

"Forget it," Kyuubi said, shaking his head and turning back to the brunette. "You brought me here as your bodyguard, so let's get this show on the road."

* * *

Lee poked his head out of from the corner of Otogakure High's hallway, blinking his bug eyes as they shifted left and right. He pulled back with a yelp when he heard footsteps behind him, and he let out a screech when he was spun around. 

"Lee! Shut up!" Neji snapped, slapping a hand over the darker brunette's mouth. Shikamaru nodded beside him.

"So troublesome," he sighed. "You'll give us away if you keep on making loud-"

"Noises?"

The trio turned around and immediately had the wind knocked out of them as they were pinned up against the hallway walls by three Oto High students.

"Your right, that _does_ give you away," the one gripping Neji said, his voice low and a white bandana covering most of his face, save for his left eye.

"Trapped like rats!" the girl holding up Lee agreed. Her long black hair back in a simple ponytail.

"Filthy rich rats!" the other young man constricting Shikamaru's throat scorned, his black hair standing in tall spikes.

"Cough it up richies, unless you want to wake up breathing through a tube!" the girl said.

"I think I'll just hit this one for good measure!" the black spiky-haired one said, reeling back his fist. "I need to vent my anger somewhere after all!"

He whipped his hand forward and Shikamaru closed his eyes.

He heard groans and gasps, and suddenly he was released as he heard things slam against the wall.

He peeled open one eye and couldn't help but gape.

* * *

Sasuke blinked. 

How the hell was Kyuubi so fast!?

In one second it seemed, he had kicked the bandana guy in the gut, slapped the girl's face, and twisted the last boy's arm back, finally shoving them all so hard that they hit the wall with a loud slam.

Sasuke gulped.

Kyuubi approached the three Oto students, standing a meter from them. He glared down at them, his crimson eyes burning.

"What the hell-" the spiky-haired one groaned, cradling his arm and lifting his sore body, when he stopped as soon as he saw the redhead above him.

The other two looked up and froze as well.

"K-Kyuubi!?" the girl finally stuttered, struggling to her feet with her companions.

"Dosu. Kin. Zaku," Kyuubi said emotionlessly, looking at all three of them in order.

"You know them?" Sasuke asked.

"I used to," Kyuubi said.

"Kyuubi-kun!" Kin said, running up to hug Kyuubi only to be shoved back to the wall again.

"Kyuu…I thought we were your friends?" Kin said, picking herself back up and holding her shoulder.

Kyuubi scoffed.

"Friends?" he relayed soullessly. "Backstabbers maybe, but never friends."

Zaku grinned and approached Kyuubi, and the air suddenly seemed to tense as they became a mere inch away from each other, Zaku and inch taller.

"You know you missed us," Zaku said, and suddenly pulled Kyuubi forward, crashing their lips together.

The group gasped, and Sasuke's mouth hung open a little.

They all only had time to blink once as Kyuubi tore away, mashed his knee into Zaku's gut, and punched him so hard that he flew back and slammed into the opposite wall.

Nobody moved as Kyuubi's eyes blazed and his pupils almost looked like black slits. He turned his head to Dosu and Kin, who stiffened. They gasped as Kyuubi held them both up against the wall by their throats, digging his dull nails into their skin as their hands clutched the redhead's in an attempt to free themselves.

"Leave," Kyuubi said, his voice amazingly level.

But that was all it took.

Kin nodded frantically and Dosu blinked.

Kyuubi turned his head to look at Zaku, who averted his gaze to the floor.

Kyuubi released his captives and they went scrambling down the hall like rats, Zaku hot on their heels.

The room was quiet for a moment as Kyuubi turned to the trio still against the wall.

"Hi," Kyuubi said, walking to Sasuke's side.

"Hello," Neji said slowly.

"H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-" Lee stuttered.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled.

* * *

"Sasuke! I'm open!" 

Sasuke's eyes darted to the right as Lee ran a bit ahead of him, flagged by only one Otogakure soccer opponent. He kicked the ball through the legs of the opponent in front of him, shooting it to Lee who kicked it into the goal. The goalie lunged, the ball brushing the tips of his fingers as it hit the net and Konoha's team cheered.

Kyuubi lay on the grass, not bothering to watch as he closed his eyes and let the wind ripple through his hair.

The coaches Gai and Kakashi for the winning team clapped and the opposing coaches Orochimaru and Kabuto glared at them.

The two teams formed lines opposite from each other and walked forward, sneering as they passed each other before breaking off and heading to the locker rooms to change.

Sasuke walked up to Kyuubi, sweaty and tired, and said redhead opened one eye.

"Can I help you?" he said.

"Bodyguard time," Sasuke said, and Kyuubi groaned and stood up.

* * *

Sasuke sighed contentedly as he pulled a shirt over his newly showered body and stepped out of the locker room with his bag on his shoulder. 

He placed his hands behind his head since he didn't have to watch out for any threats now that he had Kyuubi protecting him.

Sasuke felt a shiver run up his spine as he exited the building and the wind hit his damp hair.

"G-get off!"

"C'mon, you know you like it."

Sasuke turned his head at the noise and walked down the side of the brick wall, dropping his bag as his fists curled and his teeth grit together.

Naruto was pinned against the wall by Zaku holding both his wrists, said boy grinning with a glint in his black eyes. He brushed his lips against Naruto's, and the blonde turned his head away and struggled to free his wrists.

"Get off me Zaku!" Naruto said, attempting to pull away.

Zaku smirked and turned his head to nibble Naruto's ear.

"C'mon Naruto, is that the best you can do?" he said. He pulled Naruto's wrists up together above the blonde's head and held them with one hand, using the other now free one to run up and down Naruto's form fitting black tee-shirt.

Naruto's face flushed red and he looked away from Zaku's grin.

"Why is it that every time Kyuubi disappears, you get so weak?" Zaku taunted. "Is he too strong for your body to handle at once? Or maybe you're just too weak."

Naruto gasped as Zaku captured his mouth in his own in a quick and hard kiss.

Sasuke bit his lip and his mind raced.

What did that guy mean by Naruto's "body"? Was Kyuubi hurting him?

"Kyuubi would have me against the wall with a broken nose in a second," Zaku breathed as he broke the swift kiss. "You'd think that with the two of you being so…_close_, he'd rub off on you."

"Zaku, let me go!" Naruto said, his blue eyes fearful as he struggled, but to no avail.

"Call Kyuubi Naruto!" Zaku said, his eyes narrowing. "Call that _brother_ of yours back here!"

Sasuke's eyes widened.

_Brother!?_

Naruto turned his head away and shut his eyes tightly.

Zaku smirked.

"I wish Kyuubi was this submissive," he said. "Then again, his anger turns me on…just like you're doing now."

Zaku moved in to capture Naruto's lips again, when he was suddenly flung back to the ground with a yelp, and Naruto slid down the wall as his wrists were released.

Naruto looked up from his position on the ground to see Sasuke standing defiantly in front of him.

Zaku hled his bleeding nose, obviously broken, and stood up, glaring at Sasuke.

"Leave. Him. Alone," Sasuke bit out, his eyes promising death. "Next time I see you near him, I promise to give you a proper beating that even Kyuubi would be proud of."

Zaku turned into a blur as he suddenly sprinted from the scene with his tail between his legs, sure that he would have nightmares of Sasuke's death glare for weeks.

Sasuke turned around to Naruto and leaned down, the blonde flushed.

"Dobe, what are you doing here? Are you ok?" Sasuke said.

"Y-yea…thanks," Naruto said, amazed to see the concern Sasuke held evident in his eyes.

Naruto held a hand to his head as his vision suddenly became fuzzy.

Sasuke caught Naruto as he fell forward, knocked out.

"_Must've gotten too worked up…"_ Sasuke thought, standing up with Naruto in his arms.

"_Looks like we're going back to my place. You'll feel better when you wake up."_

Sasuke looked down at Naruto, light in his arms and his breathing steady.

"_Are you really Kyuubi's brother?"

* * *

_

**THERE IS ABSOLUELY NO RAPE OR SEXUAL ABUSE IN THIS FIC. THAT LITTLE SCENE ABOVE IS THE CLOSEST THING THERE IS TO EITHER OF THOSE. I DO NOT WRITE EITHER OF THEM IN ANY FICS. NOT. NOTNOTNOTNTOT!!! x.X**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	6. Who Knew

Anime/Manga » Naruto » **See With Different Sight** B s : A A A Author: Sky-eyed Kitsune 1. What You and I Need2. Encased in Ice3. Cause I Suck at Math4. Break Me Down5. To Protect6. Who Knew7. Transparent8. Disenchanted9. All the Rest10. Collision11. Pain12. HappyRated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Reviews: 241 - Published: 11-18-07 - Updated: 07-08-09id:3899313

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: ****Some veeeeeeeery unexpected happenings in this chapter! Please keep in mind that NARU AND THE GANG ARE 18!**

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**Reviewer Replies-**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Sry I'm not replying to all of you, but I feel like I'm about to cry after writing this chapter! T.T**

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**Inspiring Songs:**

"**Who Knew" by Pink**

You took my hand, you showed me how  
You promised me you'd be around  
Uh huh.  
That's right.  
I took your words and I believed  
In everything you said to me  
Yeah huh.  
That's right

If someone said three years from now you'd be long gone  
I'd stand up and punch them out, 'cause they're all wrong  
I know better, 'cause you said forever  
And ever.  
Who knew...

Remember when we were such fools  
And so convinced and just too cool  
Oh no.  
No no.  
I wish I could touch you again  
I wish I could still call you friend  
I'd give anything

When someone said count your blessings now  
'fore they're long gone  
I guess I just didn't know how  
I was all wrong  
They knew better  
Still you said forever  
And ever  
Who knew

Yeah yeah  
I'll keep you locked in my head  
Until we meet again  
Until we  
Until we meet again  
And I won't forget you my friend  
What happened

If someone said three years from now  
You'd be long gone  
I'd stand up and punch them out  
Cause they're all wrong and  
That last kiss  
I'll cherish  
Until we meet again  
And time makes  
It harder  
I wish I could remember  
But I keep  
Your memory  
You visit me in my sleep  
My darling  
Who knew  
My darling  
My darling  
Who knew  
My darling  
I miss you  
My darling  
Who knew  
Who knew

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Chapter Six: Who Knew

"SASUKE WHAT DID YOU DO TO NARU!?"

Sasuke grimaced as he walked into his house, Naruto unconscious in his arms as Itachi screamed at him.

"_I_ didn't do anything," Sasuke said defensively. "Naruto showed up after the game and got cornered by someone Kyuubi knew."

Itachi stopped his inner panic attack and nodded.

"Oh…ok," he said lamely.

Sasuke placed Naruto on the couch in the den gently, and turned to Itachi.

"Can you watch him for a second? I have a feeling he might not wake up soon, so just in case I need to find the key to the guest room," he said.

Itachi nodded and Sasuke left the room.

Itachi let his eyes skim over Naruto, searching for any injuries or scratches, when he saw a bruise on his face with a smudge of dirt on it.

Itachi leaned forward and brushed the dirt away gently with his thumb, and his eyes widened when he pulled back his hand to find it the same tan color as Naruto's skin.

"Cover up?" he mused. He brushed his other thumb over the opposite uninjured cheek and found it also a new color when he looked at it.

Itachi gasped and winced as something suddenly whipped forward and grabbed his wrist in a bone crushing hold.

He blinked when he saw Naruto glaring at him with red eyes, a strong grip on his arm. Itachi's mind suddenly clicked.

"Naruto…you're Kyuubi?"

Naruto looked a bit stunned as he let go of Itachi's wrist and his eyes faded back to a sky blue.

"Itachi?" Naruto said. He looked around. "Where am I?"

"You passed out. Sasuke brought you to our house to recover," Itachi said. "Apparently you had a run in with someone Kyuu-…I mean, _you_ used to know."

Naruto's eyes grew wide.

"Itachi, please don't tell Sasuke," he said quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because…because I don't want him to look at me the way everyone does when they see Kyuubi. I don't want him to know."

Itachi sighed.

"I don't think it would really matter to Sasuke," he said. "Sasuke likes you…a lot. I don't think that being Kyuubi would change--"

"Please Itachi!"

Itachi sighed again.

"Fine, fine. It's your secret to tell anyways, not mine. Go back to sleep Naruto. Sasuke will be back down in a minute to take you to the guest room."

As if on cue Naruto's eyes dropped to half mast as his mind became fuzzy again.

"Thanks," he breathed as he passed back out onto the couch.

Itachi heard the sound of rushing footsteps and Sasuke walked into the room a bit agitated.

"I can't find it," he grumbled.

He sighed.

"He'll just have to take my bed I guess," he said as he walked over to the couch and picked up the blonde in his arms gently.

"Where will you sleep?" Itachi asked as he watched his brother walk back upstairs.

"That's what sleeping bags were made for."

Itachi grinned as Sasuke went upstairs with Naruto. He reached into his pocket and smiled fondly at a little gold key.

* * *

_Naruto panted as he ran forward, the heavy snowfall half blinding him if not for the streetlights guiding his way in the night. He wasn't very strong for a fourteen year-old, but he could definitely run._

_Naruto's legs burned, aching for rest, but he couldn't until he reached Otogakure fields. Haku was meeting that gang there again._

_Why wouldn't Haku just ignore them and run away? Because Haku wasn't a runner. If that gang wanted a fight, Haku would give them one, regardless if it was five to one. Naruto prayed to God that Haku's older brother Zabuza had showed up to help him._

_Naruto's eyes widened and he willed his legs on faster as he saw the Otogakure High building come into view._

_He ran through the deserted school parking lot and across the main entrance, stopping when he reached the snow covered field behind the school._

_All the breath left his body as he saw Zabuza face down in the snow, limp and unmoving. Beside him were two other bodies Naruto couldn't identify, but knew they were from that gang Haku was meeting._

_Haku stood in the middle of the field splattered red with blood, cuts adorning his body and his clothes ripped. He panted where he stood, facing three more gang members. Haku was unarmed, his weapons and special needles used to deliver quick blows buried in the red snow._

"_HAKU!!!" Naruto cried._

_Haku turned and a man in front of him lunged forward, skillfully throwing a knife at the brunette._

"_Haku, look out!" Naruto shouted, running forward._

"_Naruto, don't!" Haku said, but his plead went unheard as Naruto stepped in front of him, making a shield with his body, and took the blow._

_He fell back when the knife pierced the front of his left shoulder, clutching it._

"_Naruto!" Haku cried, kneeling in front of his friend._

"_Haku, look out!" Naruto screamed._

_His friend didn't turn as a shot echoed into the night, and he fell limp onto the snow._

_Naruto's breaths came in shaky inhales and exhales as he gazed at his best friend's limp form, the snow around him melting into crimson red._

_Naruto leaned forward and turned his friend over with his uninjured arm, and tears began to well up in his eyes as he saw the bullet hole in Haku's back._

_He tried to scream, but nothing came out but a choke._

_He heard a click and shifted his eyes up to look into the barrel of a sleek black handgun._

"_Ne, maybe we should let him live?" a voice said._

"_No. There can't be any witnesses," the one holding the gun said, Naruto too afraid to look up and see his soon to be killer's face._

_Naruto turned Haku back over again, bowing his head over the brunette and touching a hand to his pale and still warm cheek._

_Everything blacked out as another shot fired.

* * *

_

"HAKU!"

Naruto bolted upright where he lay in Sasuke's bed, panting quickly.

Sasuke turned abruptly from where he sat scribbling at his desk when he heard Naruto's cry shatter the silence in his room.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Sasuke said, sitting down beside the blonde on his bed. He gasped a bit as Naruto tugged him forward by his shirt and began crying into it.

Sasuke blinked down at the bundle of gold clinging to him, and he cautiously placed his arms around Naruto, embracing him tightly when the blonde pressed into Sasuke's warmth at the touch even more.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto cried. "H-Haku, he's….the gun….I couldn't protect him!"

"Shhh," Sasuke hushed, rubbing Naruto's back up and down with his hand comfortingly. "It was probably just a nightmare Naru-"

"It wasn't! It really happened…all those years ago……it happened…"

Sasuke swung his legs over onto the bed, keeping a hand on Naruto, and laid down next him. He held Naruto close against him, the blonde placing his hands on Sasuke's chest and snuggling closer to him as he wept.

Sasuke weaved his hand through Naruto's golden locks, drinking in what Naruto had said.

Who was Haku? Why did he need to protect him? What…what did a gun have to do with anything?

Sasuke decided not to press it, and for the next hour (or hours…he couldn't tell), he lay there with the blonde, holding onto him tightly as he cried.

Sasuke talked to him softly to comfort him. He spoke about his life, his family, his interests, anything else to get Naruto's minds off his troubles.

Naruto spoke now and then about his own interests, and Sasuke found that they were alike, and yet complete opposites.

Sasuke felt warmth spread throughout his body, a reaction that he had been having towards Naruto a lot lately.

"_I think…I think I'm in love with him…"_ Sasuke thought, burying his face in Naruto's golden locks. He felt the warmth engulf him again as those words rang in his head, and he was sure of it.

He was in love with Naruto.

He didn't care if his brother was a gang lord. He didn't care if Naruto was sometimes loud. He didn't care if they argued. Sasuke didn't know how, but the blonde had wiggled his way into his heart……………..and he needed to let him know.

"Naruto," Sasuke said quietly. "I-"

"_Hey Miss Murder can I, hey Miss Murder can I, make beauty stay if I take my life? Whoa oh oh…"_

Naruto reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone.

"_With just a look, they shook, and heavens bowed before him. Simply a look could break your heart. The stars that pierced the sky; he left them all behind. We're left to wonder why he left us all….behind."_

"T-Temari," he said, about to flip it open when Sasuke took the phone from his hands.

"I've got it," he said. "You're in no condition to talk right now."

Sasuke flipped open the phone and held it to his ear.

"Sasuke, no!"

"Hello?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he heard Temari burst into speech over the phone.

"_Kyuu! Where are you!? You should have been back! Are you ok? Did something happen? KYUUBI, ANSWER!"_

"This…this is Naruto's phone," Sasuke said slowly.

"_Kyuu, what are you talking abo-"_

Temari stopped dead.

"_Uchiha!?"_

"Yea."

"_Why do you have Kyu-er Naruto's phone!?"_

"He's not feeling well so I answered for him. He's right here, do don't throw a fit. Now, is this Kyuubi or Naruto's phone?"

"_I-I-I-I-I…"_

Sasuke blinked when the line disconnected.

* * *

Temari threw her phone against the wall and sat down on the couch, throwing her head into her hands.

"Naruto…I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Sasuke closed the phone and looked down to Naruto, staring back at him with anxious blue eyes.

A tear fell down his cheek, and Sasuke brushed it away delicately with his thumb, then raised an eyebrow as he pulled back his hand and found that his thumb was now a shade tanner.

He rubbed his thumb against his index finger, and the tan spread onto his index finger as well.

"_Cover up?"_ he thought, looking back down at Naruto who had buried his head back into Sasuke's chest.

"_Naruto's skin is perfect. What would he need to cover…?"_

Sasuke's eyes widened as a thought popped into his head.

"_No, that's ridiculous."_

Sasuke shook his head.

"_Then again…"_

He looked back down to the blonde beauty next to him.

"_I'll never know unless I…"_

Sasuke took Naruto's face from his chest into his hands, the blonde's eyes shut tightly, and wiped at his tear stained cheeks, more tan melding onto his fingers as he did so.

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat when he saw a black whisker-like scar.

"_No…it can't be. No, no, no….Naruto wouldn't lie!"_

Sasuke removed the rest with his sleeve, not caring about staining it tan, and dropped his hand when he had finished.

On each of Naruto's cheeks were three black whisker-like scars, a small bruise on his right cheek.

"_Just like Kyuubi…NO! This can't be true! Naruto isn't…"_

Sasuke didn't finish his thought as he flipped Naruto over on the bed so that he was straddling him, and Naruto opened his eyes to look at Sasuke with a crushed sapphire gaze.

"Sasuke...what are you-"

Sasuke didn't answer as he lifted up Naruto's shirt.

Sasuke stared in disbelief at the bruise over Naruto's chest akin to Kyuubi's and the complicated pronged spiral tattoo around his belly button.

"_Naruto is Kyuubi…Naruto is Kyuubi…Naruto is-"_

"Kyuubi," Sasuke said aloud. (More like snarled.)

"Sasuke please, let me explain," Naruto pleaded.

"What, more lies that I don't know about!?" Sasuke shouted.

Naruto stiffened.

"I'm…."

Sasuke awaited an apology.

Naruto looked at Sasuke hard with his eyes.

"I'm not sorry."

Sasuke's face took on nothing short of shock.

"That's right," Naruto said. "I'm not sorry. I have my reasons."

"What, so you can pretend to be my friend when you're actually just some gang leader in disguise only using me to make money off of being a bodyguard!?" Sasuke cried, glaring intensely. "I can't believe you would lie! I told you things! Private things, just now that nobody knows about me! What was all that just now? Was everything you just said about your life and your hobbies and likes a lie too!?"

"Sas-"

"At this point I wouldn't put it past you!"

"Sa-"

"Damn demon Kyuubi!!!"

Naruto blinked, his mouth a bit agape as he stared into Sasuke's eyes, only seeing the raw hatred that Jiraiya himself held for him. "Demon"…that was Jiraiya's nickname for him.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly and grit his teeth as they almost seemed to become sharper. Sasuke leaned back a bit when Naruto opened his new crimson eyes

Sasuke winced as Naruto shot out his fist and punched him hard across the face. He cringed as he was shoved off the bed and suddenly found himself pinned against the wall, the eyes of Kyuubi boring into his own with loathing and…hurt?

"Sasuke…" Naruto said, looking down and biting his lip, not meeting Sasuke's gaze again.

"I…" Naruto's shoulders shook as he kept Sasuke firmly in place. "I want to kill you so bad right now…..Sasuke……but……"

Naruto lifted his eyes to look at Sasuke, and Sasuke's heart leapt into his own when he saw them blue once more and full of sparkling tears.

"I can't!" Naruto cried, as if scolding himself. "I can't! I just….I just can't! Dammit Sasuke!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto abruptly leaned forward and crashed their lips together.

Sasuke stood there against the wall, frozen as Naruto caressed his lips against the younger Uchiha's softly, almost pleadingly.

Sasuke wanted to respond…god he wanted to….but he just couldn't bring himself out of his deep well of pride to do so.

Naruto pulled back and hung his head, releasing Sasuke.

Sasuke watched still and bewildered as Naruto threw open the door to his room and ran out.

* * *

Itachi looked up from his paper as he heard quick and loud thumping descending down the stairs.

He looked up and was surprised to see Naruto run down.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" he said.

Naruto didn't spare Itachi a two second glance as he ran to the front door and sped out, his golden locks hiding his face from sight.

But Itachi didn't need to see Naruto to know what had happened.

Itachi sighed and shook his head.

"What have you done, Sasuke?"

* * *

Naruto ran down the streets blindly, dusk falling fast with every stride and burn of his legs.

He didn't know how long he had been running for, and he didn't want to stop and find out.

"_All this time…"_

Tear streamed from Naruto's eyes, vanishing from his cheeks and into the air as he tore through the streets.

"_If I had just known…if I had just known that opening up again would turn out like this…"_

Naruto skid down an ally way, running into the darkness ahead unlit by the streetlights.

"_Why did I let him in!?"_

Naruto punched his fist into the brick wall ahead of him as it came to a dead end, his skin splitting open and red hot blood oozing down his sun-kissed skin.

"_He's just like all the others. I………I HATE HIM!!!"_

Naruto punched his other fist into the wall, marring more of his skin with cuts and blood.

Naruto let out a silent scream as he pressed his back against the wall, sliding down it to collapse on the ground.

He pulled his legs into his chest, burying his head in them as he cried.

"Haku….what should I do?" he whispered. "Haku….Haku….I need you!"

Naruto didn't flinch as two arms wrapped around him, and he felt the cold cement under him leave his body as he was picked up. He didn't need to open his eyes to know who it was.

"Gaara…" Naruto breathed.

Gaara cradled Naruto his arms with sad jade eyes, walking to the car that sat in gear by the sidewalk.

* * *

Gaara gasped as Naruto shoved him into his room, locking the door behind them.

The redhead looked up only to stare into two crimson eyes as Naruto crashed his lips against his own. He pushed his hands up against Naruto's chest, trying to pry him away, but couldn't keep from groaning when Naruto twined one had in his crimson locks and ran his hand up and down under his shirt slowly.

"Na-Naru…to….hn!"

Naruto moved down Gaara's neck, kissing his pale skin feverishly, nibbling now and then and licking the red marks he left.

"Naruto…you……this isn't right," Gaara panted. "You don't- hah – love me…AH!"

Gaara let out a short cry as Naruto's hand previously on his chest thrust down into his pants, gripping his manhood.

"You know you want it Gaa-chan…" Naruto said, his gaze half lidded as he tilted his head up and brushed his lips against the redhead's.

Gaara moaned as Naruto began to stroke him, all the while steering him towards the bed.

Gaara gasped as the room suddenly flipped and Naruto switched their positions as they landed on the bed, Gaara overtop the blonde.

He lifted himself up, but wished he hadn't as he saw Naruto's hair splayed out over the black covers, his red eyes gleaming sexily and his jacket half unzipped.

Gaara gulped as he felt his self-control dissolve away, and he screwed his eyes shut.

"Please, Gaara…"

Gaara opened his eyes again, shocked to see Naruto's eyes blue and pleading.

"Please Gaara, please!" Naruto said again. "Just make me forget him! Make me forget his face!"

Gaara's eyes widened a bit. He knew that the Uchiha had found out, but he never expected Naruto to…

"You loved him, didn't you?" Gaara asked softly.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly, the use of words not necessary.

The blonde opened them when he felt Gaara's lips wrap around his own in a kiss.

"_Thank-you…thank-you Gaara…"_ Naruto thought as he clutched the front of Gaara's shirt, desperately kissing him back.

"_I know this won't mean anything,"_ Gaara thought as he removed his shirt and helped Naruto with his own. _"As much as I want it to, it just won't."_

Gaara's heart jumped when Naruto groaned underneath him as the redhead lapped at his neck.

"_I love you, Naruto, even if you don't love me back."_

Gaara slipped off his jeans, dragging Naruto's down as he kissed down his torso lower and lower. He flipped Naruto over as he removed them.

"_If this is the most I can do to show you that…then it's ok."_

Gaara dragged his bare body up Naruto's back, drawing out a groan from the blonde beneath him.

"_As long as I'm with you, Naruto….it'll always be ok."_


	7. Transparent

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Oi…it's been a rough week…. Pleaz 'scuse the lack of update. I was havin some writer's block, and when I got over it, my lappy 'sploded, and then internet decided to totally shut down! . **

**Gomi-kun: -.-**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies-**

**To Catat: Arigatou! ;3**

**To kimidori1015450: I know! Sasuke you jerk! You sooo mean to Naru! T.T Lol, un, me likie than angst!**

**To BitterSweet27: Lol! I'm sorry you were almost screaming when Gaara did Naruto T.T I was debating with myself for like a week on whether or not I would have Gaara and Naruto do that, and I'm still not so sure of how I came to my conclusion O.o Expect more drama and problems!**

**To Dreamergirl667: I kno! Everyone is so angsty! T.T**

**To Asian Tinkerbell: How do you think I feel!? I wrote it!! T.T Waaaahh!**

**To moonlit dew: Hm, I will have to listen to that song! I luv music, both Japanese and American and even French, and I will listen to whatever you suggest for me! Luvs ya! ;3**

**To no name: So do I T.T**

**To Sutzina Zion: I kno, poor Gaara!**

**To cluelessninja65: I kno, Gaara luuuv! Poor Gaara! I soo sry!!! T.T**

**To looking-to-the-sky: Naruto was just really hurt and needed to forget everything…but that definitely was just a quick fix and nothing more! X(**

**To Gosangoku: Ah! Arigatou Gozaimasu! Thank you soooo much for reading all of my stories! It makes me so happy! I cry TEARS OF YOUTH!!! T.T Gomen…Lee moment. Hehe…thank you sooo much! I hope to see more lovely reviews from you! ;3**

**To NiChee: Un, I tried to make Itachi a bit…gay…lol**

**

* * *

**

**Inspiring Songs:**

"**From the inside" by Linkin Park**

**I Don't know who to trust  
No surprise  
Everyone feels so far away from me  
Heavy thoughts sift through dust  
And the lies **

Trying not to break  
But I'm so tired of this deceit  
Every time I try to make myself  
Get back up on my feet  
All I ever think about is this  
All the tiring time between  
And how trying to put my trust in you  
Just takes so much out of me

Take everything from the inside  
And throw it all away  
'Cause I swear  
For the last time  
I won't trust myself with you

Tension is building inside  
Steadily  
Everyone feel so far away from me  
Heavy thoughts forcing their way  
Out of me  


**Take everything from the inside  
And throw it all away  
'Cause I swear  
For the last time  
I won't trust myself with you**

**  
I won't trust myself with you  
I won't waste myself on you  
Waste myself on you  
You

* * *

**

**Chapter Seven: Transparent**

Gaara slowly opened his eyes, the weight of the previous night riding heavily on his shoulders. He felt the space next to him to find it cold and empty.

He turned to look at the side of the bed where Naruto had previously laid, the sound of his scream of agony fresh in his mind.

Gaara sat up, the covers falling down his bare chest.

He felt a breeze rustle through his hair and his looked to the left wall to find the window open.

He knew exactly where Naruto was.

Naruto watched the sunlight spill over the horizon, the rifts cascading over his face and trying to spread warmth through his cold body.

But it was futile. Not even the sun could warm the blonde now, as much as it tried. It might burn him, sear him, but it would never warm his frigid heart now.

Naruto didn't look up from his splayed position on the roof as he heard footsteps near him.

Gaara sat beside Naruto, his eyes fixed on the rising sun.

"What will you do?" he asked quietly.

"This changes nothing," Naruto said, and Gaara flinched at how unfeeling his tone was, even more than after Haku had died.

"It'll be just like it always was; only this time…Naruto doesn't exist."

Gaara looked at Naruto who met him with a crimson gaze.

"It's just Kyuubi now."

* * *

Sasuke sat in English with his head slammed down on his desk, the look on Naruto's face when he had he called him a demon never leaving him.

"_It's his fault,"_ Sasuke told himself. _"It's his fault for lying! For just being with me to make sure he gets his pay…"_

"Alright class. I have some very bad news…" Iruka said quietly, pausing. "But some good as well."

The class leaned forward a bit except for Sasuke.

"Uzumaki Naruto will no longer be attending Konoha High Boy's Academy."

Sasuke's head shot up and Neji's jaw dropped. Other guys in the class groaned and cursed under their breaths, missing the shy and gorgeous blonde already.

"But, on a lighter note, his brother Kyuubi Uzumaki will be taking his place."

The class gasped and Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat.

"Kyuubi, you may come in."

Whistles filled the air and jaws dropped open as Kyuubi strode into the room, his red hair gleaming against his black uniform and his crimson eyes burning. Others slumped in their seats and avoided eye contact with the gang lord. His black whisker marks seemed even more defined than Sasuke remembered as he smirked, showing off sharper than average white canines, his overall appearance similar to that of a red fox.

"Please make Kyuubi feel welcome," Iruka said a bit shakily, standing away from Kyuubi. "Sit anywhere Kyuubi-kun."

Kyuubi walked down the row of desks in what appeared to Sasuke slow motion, his eyes scanning over hopeful, seductive, and terrified faces.

Sasuke held his breath as Kyuubi swept by him, not even giving him a two second glance as he passed him and sat next to another senior with blonde hair tied back into a short ponytail, eyeing the redhead like a piece of meat.

"_Naruto…"_ Sasuke thought, his heart plummeting and rising to his throat in anger at the same time.

"_You bastard."

* * *

_

Sasuke felt his insides lurch as he watched the blonde next to Naru- er, Kyuubi slide a hand up his thigh and whisper to him seductively.

Kyuubi neither pushed him away nor spurred him forward, his eyes glued ahead to the board. Sasuke could tell he was thinking hard.

The bell rang and everyone stood up, scrambling out the door to their next class.

Kyuubi stood up slowly, slinging his black bag over his shoulder silently.

He walked down the row of desks, ignoring Sasuke yet again, and was about to go through the door when the blonde blocked him.

"Hey Kyuu," he said, and Sasuke saw Naruto's eyes flash dangerously. "Let's say you and I have some fun after-URG!"

The blonde cried in pain as Kyuubi whipped his fist forward and punched him in the gut, hooking his leg with the senior's right foot and flipping him around so that he was pinned against the wall by his throat.

"Touch me again and I won't hesitate to slit your throat," Kyuubi said, his voice amazingly level as if he were talking about the weather, despite his iron grip.

The blonde nodded vigorously, scuttling away with his tail between his legs as he was released.

Kyuubi turned back towards the door, his eyes finally meeting Sasuke's for a split second before he walked down the hall.

Sasuke felt his heart clench as he saw how cold and unfeeling those crimson eyes were.

* * *

Temari paced nervously, checking the time on her cell phone every fifteen seconds.

But then again, no one blamed her.

After hearing about Naruto's terrible predicament, they didn't want him to be alone for more time than he had to, in case he ran off or tried to hurt himself in an attempt to wash away the pain.

"Temari," Ino said quietly. "Are you…are you sad that Naruto and Gaara…you know…"

"No," Temari said almost instantly. "Gaara is in love with Naruto. Naruto needed to think of someone else's face, and he asked Gaara for help. Gaara made his decision and helped Naruto. Even though it didn't mean anything, Gaara will always be there for Naruto, no matter what. In a way Gaara got what he always wished for…just under the wrong circumstances."

"Dammit," Kiba cursed. "I wanna kill that Uchiha bastard!"

"Naruto has forbid any of us from laying a finger on him," Tenten said, sighing sadly.

"Why the hell would he say that!? Kiba cried. "I don't care if he loved the guy! I'd get my friends to send him to a hand basket to hell if I were him!"

"But you're not," Sai said. "Naruto is different. He only opens up his heart once in a blue moon, and if someone can wiggle their way into it, then it's a bond too strong for Naruto to ever completely break."

"You do crazy things when you love somebody…" Ino whispered, looking to the ground.

"What is this, a pity party?"

Kurochi looked up as Kyuubi spoke, Gaara flagging his right.

"Kyuubi-kun…" Ino said softly, her normal vigor to greet him faded as she stood up and gave him a hesitant and light embrace.

Kyuubi didn't flinch.

"Zaku's gang has challenged us," he said monotonously. "Tomorrow night at ten. It's your choice to whether or not you come."

"Naruto, you're in no mood to-"

Kiba shut his mouth as blood red eyes fixed on him, dilating dangerously.

"Naruto's not here anymore," Kyuubi said, unconsciously clenching his hand into a fist.

"Sorry…Kyuubi, you're in no mood to fight," Kiba said, fixing his quick mess up.

"I think the only one to say that would be me," Kyuubi said, and Kiba averted his gaze to the ground.

* * *

_2 weeks later…_

Sasuke tapped his pencil against the top of his desk in homeroom, flicking his eyes from the clock to Naruto's empty seat.

Sasuke shook his head.

Why should he care? It wasn't like Naruto had said anything to him in the past two weeks; quite the contrary. It was avoidance central everyday, save for an empty glance or two.

Kyuubi had still also shown up for his bodyguard job at Otogakure, but disappeared into oblivion afterwards.

Sasuke lifted his head when the door creaked open, and Kyuubi walked in.

He commuted to a seat in the back as usual, and Sasuke watched from the corner of his eye as he passed. His black orbs ran over a few cuts and bruises on Kyuubi's skin before he turned his gaze forward again.

It seemed like everyday Naruto came in with a new injury, and there had been reports of many more gang fights taking place in which some people even had to be sent to the hospital.

Sasuke clenched his fist.

He shouldn't care! He shouldn't feel the need to talk to Naruto! He shouldn't still be…in love with him…

Sasuke buried his head in his arms as the first bell chimed for class.

* * *

Sasuke dropped his book bag underneath the coat hanger in the front room of his house, stretching out as he walked towards the stairs.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke stopped halfway up the steps and looked down to see his brother staring up at him with hardened maroon eyes.

"What?" Sasuke said impatiently, and Itachi's glare turned even colder.

"I thought you'd be mature enough to actually realize why you need to apologize to Naruto, but I guess I need to show you."

Sasuke growled as his brother grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the front door.

"Why the hell should I be the one to apologize!?" Sasuke shouted, wriggling in Itachi's iron grip. "He's the one who lied to me! Nothing you can ever show me will change that!"

"True," Itachi said, striding out the door to the car in the circle driveway. "But he had a good reason for it."

Sasuke glared at his brother as he was thrown into the vehicle and Itachi started the engine beside him.

* * *

Gaara lifted his head and yawned as a knock reverberated from the door.

Rubbing his eyes, he stood up from the couch and opened the door…then slammed it shut as he saw two Uchihas standing outside of it.

Itachi sighed from the other side of the door and knocked again.

"Gaara, who's there?" Temari said, walking into the room. Gaara didn't answer, but instead shoved his hands into pockets and went upstairs.

Temari sighed and opened the door, unsurprised when she saw Sasuke and Itachi.

"Hello Temari," Itachi said. "I brought Sasuke."

Temari nodded sadly and opened the door, letting them both in and shutting out the fall chill.

"What do you mean you 'brought' me?" Sasuke said coldly. "Did you plan this?"

"Yes," Itachi said, hanging his coat in the closet by the door. "I came by two weeks ago to ask about Naruto and his relationship with Kyuubi."

Sasuke snorted as Temari led them to the living room, and ushered them to sit on the plush tan couch as she went to the nearby bookshelf.

"What's there to know? They're the same person," Sasuke scoffed, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Itachi sighed and shook his head.

"Here we go," Temari said, placing a thin and dusty photo album on the coffee table in front of the brothers. She opened up the first page, and Sasuke leaned forward as he saw a newspaper clipping next to two pictures.

Sasuke glanced at Itachi, who nodded, and Sasuke read the article.

"_December 22, 2003- Another gang fight struck just outside of Otogakure high school, terrible consequences following. Numbers and sides were unclear, but authorities recovered six bodies. Two young men were unconscious and heavily injured, three dead, and one still on the brink. Zabuza Momochi, 18, Haku Momochi, 15, and Yoshuri Kasagawa, 16, were all found dead at the scene. Zabuza was found to have died from massive blood loss due to his many serious injuries, and the younger sibling Haku was killed by one bullet in the back. Kasagawa's death cause was also due to heavy blood loss, andhe last victim still fighting for his life is Naruto Uzumaki, 14."_

Sasuke paused and looked up at his brother.

Itachi looked away, and Sasuke swallowed hard as he continued on.

"_Young Uzumaki was found hunched over the body of Haku, a switchblade jammed heavily into his shoulder and a bullet hole almost directly in the middle of his chest. Uzumaki has a 1 to 10 chance of surviving, since the bullet was so close to his heart and he had lost a great amount of blood before authorities found him. Uzumaki is currently at the Konoha Emergency Medical Center, all living relatives dead and his guardian out of town. Gang wars seem to be currently progressing to the lowest level possible, and soon more young lives may be taken as a result. –Shelly Karor, the associated press."_

Sasuke's breathing began to accelerate as he read the clipping over and over again, when his eyes caught the nearby pictures.

One was from the newspaper, a picture of what Sasuke presumed to be the scene upon the arrival of the authorities, the bodies were scattered and blood stained the snow beneath them. In a zoomed in picture, Sasuke saw Naruto's half frozen and bloody body wilted over another boy's with long dark hair and pale skin that Sasuke could only assume was Haku.

Sasuke felt his insides tighten as he turned the page and was met with another picture of a young Naruto in the hospital, an oxygen mask on his face and many wires attached to his skin. Lower down the page was yet another one of Naruto sitting up in bed, the mask gone but wires still attached, as Gaara sat beside him and chatted with the blonde. Sasuke looked at Naruto's eyes in the picture, cold and lifeless.

On the next page were more pictures of Naruto in the hospital with Gaara, Temari, or Kankuro, and others of him with Kurochi.

Sasuke turned another page and saw what he knew as the Naruto today, standing outside in the snow by the hospital with his gaze to the white ground. Next to the picture was one of a younger, what appeared to be 12 year-old Naruto playing tag with Kiba, Gaara, Kankuro, Ino, and Tenten, his eyes bright and happy and a wide grin upon his face.

Sasuke compared the two Naruto's he saw side by side in bewilderment. Itachi didn't say a word as a he watched the emotions flutter across his brother's face, and he could tell that he was fighting to keep them restrained as much as possible.

Sasuke closed the album and looked to the floor, his elbows resting on his knees.

"_That's who Naruto was talking about…"_ he thought. _"After he woke up…Haku…it was that boy…"_

_Flashback—_

"_HAKU!"_

_Naruto bolted upright where he lay in Sasuke's bed, panting quickly._

_Sasuke turned abruptly from where he sat scribbling at his desk when he heard Naruto's cry shatter the silence in his room._

"_Naruto, what's wrong?" Sasuke said, sitting down beside the blonde on his bed. He gasped a bit as Naruto tugged him forward by his shirt and began crying into it._

_Sasuke blinked down at the bundle of gold clinging to him, and he cautiously placed his arms around Naruto, embracing him tightly when the blonde pressed into Sasuke's warmth at the touch even more._

"_S-Sasuke!" Naruto cried. "H-Haku, he's….the gun….I couldn't protect him!"_

"_Shhh," Sasuke hushed, rubbing Naruto's back up and down with his hand comfortingly. "It was probably just a nightmare Naru-"_

"_It wasn't! It really happened…all those years ago……it happened…"_

_---End flashback_

"Haku was Naruto's best friend," Temari said quietly. "After Haku was killed and Naruto escaped by a thread, Naruto blamed himself for Haku's death. He said that it's because he wasn't able to protect him…that he wasn't strong enough to save him. After Naruto left the hospital, he promised Kurochi, all of his closest friends, that he would protect us no matter what."

Temari paused and took a breath.

"That's how Kyuubi was created. Naruto's alter ego formed after he made his promise. Kyuubi is the opposite of Naruto; he's reckless, brash, and cold. In the beginning Kyuubi only appeared when Naruto felt like we were being threatened, and he called on him for help. As years passed, Kyuubi became a separate person as people began to call him a gang lord, even though they're the same person.

"Zaku became friends with Naruto when he was sixteen, and slowly Naruto opened up to him. A few months later Zaku brought his gang and attacked Naruto. The only reason he ever made friends with Naruto was to find a weakness of Kyuubi's and take him down. Naruto shut himself off from everyone else after that betrayal, tired of having his emotions slashed every time he opened up to someone.

"That's why Kyuubi exists; for our protection, and now for Naruto's as well. Kyuubi is Naruto's way of putting up a shield around his emotions so that he can't get hurt anymore. Naruto lies and calls Kyuubi his brother because of the reputation Kyuubi has gained. Naruto didn't want you to look at him the same way everyone else did…like he was a monster."

Sasuke bit his lip hard, tasting blood as his teeth sunk into the tender flesh there.

"_I…I looked at him like that…right after I found out. I called him a demon…Naruto…."_

"No," Sasuke suddenly said. "If he trusted me he would have told me all of this!"

Itachi was taken aback a bit when he still saw anger flash in his brother's eyes as it fought an inner battle with sorrow.

"He didn't want to get hurt again," Temari said a bit more forcefully. "Don't you get it? He was afraid, Sasuke! Afraid of everyone! But more than anyone he was afraid of _you!_ How the hell do you think you'd feel if the person you loved found out you were a monster!?"

Sasuke's eyes widened a bit and Temari cursed silently.

"Love…?" Sasuke said carefully, making sure he heard right.

Temari looked away.

"Why do you think he let you be near him so closely? Touch him so familiarly?" she said softly, and Sasuke felt his pulse accelerate a bit, his mind spiraling with all of the new information he received in what felt like mere seconds.

"Where…is Naruto now?" Sasuke asked, his voice quiet and deprived of emotion.

"He's with Jiraiya," Temari said.

Sasuke curled his fist.

"Tell me…Jiraiya isn't just loud and annoying to Naruto, is he?" he asked.

Temari shook her head.

"Naruto's parents are both dead, and Jiraiya is his godfather. Jiraiya and Naruto's father were very close, and Jiraiya blames Naruto for his death. He's been physically abusing Naruto since he was fifteen."

Sasuke clenched his fist.

"All those bruises…those cuts…"

"Aren't from gang wars," Temari finished sadly, her eyes glassy. "They're all from Jiraiya."

"Why doesn't Naruto do something about it?" Sasuke said.

"Naruto considers Jiraiya as the only family he's ever had. If he reports Jiraiya, he'll be taken away from him. Naruto doesn't want to be apart from any member of what's left of his family, no matter what the price."

Sasuke stood and walked to the door, grabbing his coat.

"Sasuke!" Itachi said. "Where are you going?"

"To find Naruto," Sasuke said, not looking back at his sibling.

"Wait, Sasuke! You can't!" Temari said, running to him and grabbing his arm just as he swung open the door. "There's something else you need to know first…"

* * *

Naruto winced as Jiraiya punched him hard in the gut for the hundredth time that week, and he coughed as he steadied himself.

"YOU INGRATE!" Jiraiya hollered.

Naruto wiped some blood from his lip as he moved to the door and stood beside his suitcase once more.

"You bastard demon! You can't leave, you're not old enough!" Jiraiya cried, stomping toward Naruto.

"I can," Naruto said. He held up a copy of his birth certificate. "I turned eighteen four days ago, which means that I can finally get out of this house and away from you!"

Naruto winced as Jiraiya slapped his hand hard across his face.

Naruto's red eyes dilated, but he let no single ripple of pain pass across his façade.

"I could have you in jail for this," he hissed. "I have enough bruises to prove what you've been doing to me for the past three years. You'd be locked up and left to rot away for child abuse. But I never ratted you out because I thought you were my family…but families don't hurt each other!"

Jiraiya gasped as Naruto flung out his fist and hit Jiraiya hard across the face, throwing him halfway across the room.

Naruto panted shakily, his legs weak beneath him.

"If I had known that that would feel this good, I would have punched you a long time ago."

* * *

**Will Sasuke find Naruto? Will Sasuke apologize or continue to be a bastard? Oh teh drama! T.T You will be up to your neck in angst the next chapter!!! ****Oh, and for people who have read more than one of my fics, please visit my profile and vote in the poll for which of my stories you'd like to see updated ASAP, because I don't know which one you want updated first! Please vote minna-san!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	8. Disenchanted

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: I…have…RETURNED! –lightning in backround and dramatic music— Remember when I said there would be no sexual abuse or rape in this fic? Heh…I was wrong! So…**

**WARNING: SEXUAL ABUSE TO COME!  
**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies-**

**To Asian Tinkerbell: You have no idea…T.T I feel like such a bad person! Especially for what I do in this chapter…--sniff—**

**To realworldiscruel: Thanks! I thought it might be a total failure for a story, like a dead plot bunny, but I guess it worked out all right, ne?**

**To prideandprejudice: thanks for the awesome tips! ;3 it's really nice to get some creative criticism sometimes, and I have edited the story thanks to you! Arigatou!**

**To firzzy197: I hope your brain is still in one piece!**

**To moonlit dew: Oh dear, you're going to hate me after this chapter! T.T Please tell me that you won't fling rotten cabbages at my face after this X(**

**To no name: Thanks very much! It's nice to hear that people read more than one of my fics.**

**To BitterSweet27: Temari and Sasuke seem to be on good terms, so hopefully she will!**

**To Gosangoku: Wa! I'm sry u fell off ur chair! T.T --huggles— I make it all better by updating! Wa! I luuuuv your long reviews Gosangoku-chan! Thank youuuu!**

**To scoggize: Awww u hav a hamster named Kyuubi? Hi kyuubi! And yes, Kyuubi is definitely the smex, yummmmmmm! Unfortunately though in this chapter he sort of…disappears! Nuuuu! The smex! T.T**

**To noone cares enough: Thanks sooo much! After reading your review I thought, "hmm, I **_**was**_** just going to give him a slap on the wrist and send him to naru-chan…but now I SHALL TORTURE HIM! He's gonna hav to work really hard to win his uke back! Thanks so much noone-san! And remember- as sasuke suffers, feel proud that you're the one that helped me make it so! ;3**

**To pina: Arigatou! I hoped that my descriptions would make it so that the reader could easily picture what was happening, but emotions are sometimes SO hard to convey. Glad to have your approval! ;3**

**To dreamergirl667: Indeed, he does have the right! He'll have even more of that right after this chapter…**

**To cluelessninja65: sry for the wait! I had writer's block, but tat was about a week ago…so I sadly have no excuse! T.T**

**To Ninjalicious Babe and Yanita24: --thrusts fist in air—and so the drama shall continue even more 'tebayo!**

**To Beloved Loveliness: O.O desserts now pwwweeeeease?**

**To blueserenityX3: Here you are love!**

**To Sutzina Zion: I wish he would have hurt Jiraiya a lot more, but the plot bunnies won't let me. I sadly need Jiraiya to live for later T.T**

**To Shinigamii-Ji: O.o zomgzomgzomg! Wowzers! What an inspiring review 'tebayo! I luv you! Thank you soo much! I rly thought that this story would be a bust! Just…wow! **

**To liar-just-a-liar and sharingon-sasu-kun: Sorry it took so long, and thank ye!**

**To yet-another-Gaara-fangirl: Sorry! The poll wasn't quite up that soon when you must have looked –blushes—hehe… Jiraiya mostly blames Naruto because Minato said that Naruto was his "inspiration" for working so hard with his company, and thus it became huge and he was shot. This will become more addressed in the chapter to follow! ;3**

**To xx jaztine xx: Wa! I know! I'm so sorry I made you wait T.T The plot bunnies…they captured me….O.o**

**To Second Storey Stairwell: Muahaha! Let me be the first to say, welcome to the madness that is my fics! Luv ya!**

**Inspiring Songs:**

**Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance**

**Now I know that I can make you stay**

**But where's your heart?**

**But where's your heart?**

**But where's your…**

**And I know there's nothing I can say**

**To change that part**

**To change that part**

**To change…**

**So many bright lights that cast a shadow**

**But can I speak?**

**Is it hard understanding I'm incomplete?**

**A life that's so demanding we get so weak**

**A love that's so demanding, I can't speak**

**I am not afraid to keep on living**

**I am not afraid to walk this world alone**

**Honey if you stay I'll be forgiven**

**Nothing you can say can stop me going home**

**Can you say my eyes are shining bright?**

**When I'm out here on the other side**

**Of a jet black hotel mirror**

**And oh so weak**

**Is it hard understanding I'm incomplete?**

**A love that's so demanding**

**We get weak**

**These bright lights have always blinded me**

**These bright lights have always blinded me**

**I say…**

**I see you lying next to me**

**With words I thought I'd never speak**

**Awake and unafraid**

**Asleep or dead**

**Cause I see you lying next to me**

**With words I thought I'd never speak**

**Awake and unafraid**

**Asleep or dead**

**I am not afraid to keep on living**

**I am not afraid to walk this world alone**

**Honey if you stay I'll be forgiven**

**Nothing you can say can stop me going home **

Chapter Eight: Disenchanted

-

"What?" Sasuke snapped, glaring as Temari held his arm.

"Naruto turned eighteen four days ago," Temari said. "He promised he'd leave Jiraiya soon, and he's coming to stay here after-"

Sasuke gasped and stumbled back onto the floor as the door in front of him swung open, and a certain red-haired gang lord stood in the doorway, cuts and bruises marring his features. His eyes were wide as he looked at Sasuke, then up to Temari in disbelief.

"Temari…" he breathed, his heart beating faster.

"Naruto, please understand-" Temari was cut off as Kyuubi slammed the door and walked back out into the frigid air once more.

"Dobe!" Sasuke shouted after him, scrambling to his feet. He wrapped his hand around the doorknob to fling it open when Temari pushed him back, tears in her eyes.

"Please don't Sasuke," she said. "I've…I've just made things worse. Let Naruto be alone right now…"

Sasuke paused, then grit his teeth and sighed.

* * *

Why.

Just…why.

Why did he need to see everything and everyone before him turn their backs to him? Was this just what he had been preparing for his whole life?

Naruto watched his feet rise and descend with his steps, kicking up the gravel crunching beneath him occasionally.

His eyes stung, but he couldn't bring himself to cry anymore. He stopped as he felt something drip against the top of his head, and he looked up as the sky opened and drenched the city in glacial rain.

Naruto continued forward, ignoring the frozen water droplets that chilled his skin. He didn't care. Why should he?

He listened to the sounds of cars rushing past him, splashing murky water on his jeans. He walked on, unburdened by the wetness.

He passed a closed store and looked at the large window there showing off many items for sale.

Naruto stopped as he caught his reflection, and was tempted to smash the window into a thousands pieces as he saw a pair of hurt sky blue eyes staring back at him.

He ran a hand over his left cheek and up through his wet hair. He looked at the hand now smeared with a fake golden concealer from the previous day and red hair dye, leaving half of his real reflection exposed and the other to hide still under the mask of Kyuubi. The mixture swirled with the rain beating down on the blond, looking akin to blood staining his palm. For a moment, Naruto wished that it _was_ blood.

His blood.

Anything…anything to make him feel alive again.

Naruto flinched as a hand slapped roughly over his mouth and his body was tugged into the side alley. The ground sped beneath him and his feet scraped soundlessly against the gravel, and the walls were a blur as the wind and rain rushed into him.

He bit down on the flesh that pressed and bruised his lips, and he heard a short curse before a gunshot broke through the air.

* * *

"_Pick up, dammit."_

Gaara sighed impatiently as Naruto's phone rang for the fifth time before automatically flipping to his voicemail, and he growled and threw his cell phone against the wall of his room.

He stood up from his stretched out position on his bed, his fists curled, and threw the door to his room open.

* * *

Temari gripped the coffee mug swirling with tea even tighter until her knuckles turned stark white.

Her shoulders quivered as tears slipped down her cheeks, Itachi's comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder doing little to soothe her.

"Naruto's so fragile now…" she breathed. "I think I might have just broken him."

"You did nothing," Itachi said.

"No…" Temari said, shaking her head. "Just being here with you and Sasuke is like betrayal to Naruto. To let someone who hurt him so much into his supposedly new 'home'…his only home…"

Sasuke looked away from Temari.

"If he's not broken already, then it'll only take a small nudge to send Naruto over the edge. If that happens…" Temari shivered despite the warmth coursing through her palms. "Naruto isn't exactly the most unwanted person in the world."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke said, his attention turned back the blonde as his interest was sparked.

Temari took a deep breath.

"I told you before that Zaku only wanted to be close to Naruto to find out Kyuubi's weakness," she said slowly.

Sasuke nodded.

"There are a lot of gangs around here…more than you think. Everyone knows Kyuubi, and because of Zaku some of them even know his real identity. Many gangs want Naruto to join them and fight with them, some to even become their leader. Others want to kill him. They want him gone and out of the way. It's all one huge anarchy with Naruto at the top. If Naruto doesn't come home soon…"

"We may need to assume the worst," Itachi finished for her as her voice became shaky.

Temari nodded solemnly and Sasuke bit his lip.

The three of them jumped when they heard a slamming noise upstairs and the stairway creaked as a new weight traveled down it.

"Oh Gaara, I was wonder-"

Temari didn't know exactly what happened in the five seconds after Gaara's jade eyes fell on Sasuke, but suddenly they were both on the ground, Gaara pinning the younger Uchiha down by his wrists as he hung over top of him.

"Gaara!" Temari cried, springing up from her seat with Itachi and running over to the duo.

"UCHIHA!" Gaara snarled, his voice louder than Temari had ever heard before.

Temari grabbed her brother's shoulder, but as soon as she touched him he flung her back.

Temari winced as she crashed into an end table by the couch, knocking over a vase full of flowers and splashing water and glass all over her bare arm.

Her eyes widened as Gaara met her gaze for half a second, his eyes a deep blackish green.

"Itachi, back away from Gaara!"

"Wha-"

"Just do it, dammit!"

Itachi backed off a few steps and kneeled beside Temari, his line of sight never leaving his pinned brother.

"He's over the edge! He's finished! He's done!" Gaara shouted at Sasuke, digging his nails into the Uchiha's wrists as he pressed him into the floor. "This would have never happened if he hadn't met you! He wouldn't be gone! Kyuubi can't protect him now…and it's all because of you……I'LL KILL YOU!"

Sasuke let out a yelp as Gaara removed his hands and punched him hard across the face with such force that he slid from under him and hit the opposite wall.

"Sasuke!"

"Itachi, don't!"

Itachi looked back at Temari's terrified but at the same time strong face as she cradled her bleeding arm. He glanced at his brother who had collected himself now and stood up a bit shakily.

Sasuke gasped as Gaara rammed him against the wall by his neck, clenching it tightly as he kneed him in the stomach. He coughed and blood splattered from his mouth to the floor.

"You just had to come along…just when he thought he was safe…" Gaara breathed dangerously, his eyes hard and unforgiving. "You opened back up old wounds, and brought some new ones too. Hasn't he suffered enough from the likes of you and others?"

Sasuke was able to just dodge this time as instead of his face, Gaara's fist hit the wall.

"You have no idea of what he's gone through to just stay alive!"

"GAARA!"

Gaara ignored his sister's cry as he threw Sasuke to the other side of the room by his throat.

Itachi flicked his head to the right as he heard the garage door abruptly close and Kankuro walked into the room wearing a black business suit.

"Shit!" he cried, and tackled his younger brother to the ground.

"GET OFF ME YOU BASTARD!" Gaara howled, struggling against his brother as this time _he_ was pinned to the floor.

"Get a hold of yourself Gaara!" Kankuro said, using every bit of strength he had to keep his brother down and away from Sasuke.

Temari scrambled to her feet and helped Kankuro keep the redhead at bay.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Itachi said, helping the raven to his feet.

"UCHIHA!"

Sasuke looked at Gaara, flailing and kicking as his siblings fought to suppress him.

Up until now Gaara had shown no emotion in front of Sasuke, but now…he had never seen someone so angry before in his life.

* * *

Naruto groaned and curled his body, his head scraping against something.

His eyes flickered open to complete darkness.

He winced and his body retracted as a sharp spike of pain ripped through his stomach and up his chest. He coughed and a warm liquid slipped over his lips. He didn't need any light to tell that it was blood.

He moved a hand to his stomach where the pain shot from and found it sticky and warm.

He lifted his hand now coated with the substance on his stomach to his eyes, cursing the darkness around him. He placed one finger in his mouth and cringed when the metallic tang of blood flooded his senses.

"_I'm...bleeding?"_ he thought, wincing more as the pain intensified.

He let his bloodied hand roam over his chest again, and let out a strangled cry when his index finger dipped into a hole there that was definitely not his belly button.

The sudden memory of a gunshot ran through Naruto's mind, and he bit his lip.

"Dammit," he cursed aloud. He had been shot, so why wasn't he dead? Luck of the draw? In fact…where the hell was he?

"Hello Naruto."

Naruto looked up as he heard a familiar voice breathe into his ear. Why hadn't he sensed someone beside him sooner?

"_I must be in real shitty shape…"_ he thought bitterly.

Naruto snorted and turned his face away from the warm breath billowing down his neck, and he heard a low chuckle rise from the person's throat.

He cringed as a light overhead flicked on and blinded him. He opened his eyes after a moment, still seeing neon spots in the air, when his eyes rested on a familiar face.

"Zaku," he spat, said brunette laughing lightly. "Where the hell am I?"

"You're at an old friend's place," Zaku said. He kneeled down in front of Naruto and smiled.

"Then again, anywhere is better than back with everyone who turned their back on you, isn't it?" he said.

Naruto looked away, shutting his eyes. He didn't want to ask how Zaku knew since it seemed that nowadays he was being stalked by every gang lord in the state or some cronies.

"Shut up…" the blonde hissed.

"See what happens when you try to open up to someone?" Zaku continued. "As soon as you take off your skin they see you as the monster you truly are. Then they get everyone else who was close to you to betray you."

"Stop it…"

"They don't even chase you down when you run away. The people you considered even closer than your family. Your damned _family._ You could commit suicide and they wouldn't even care."

"SHUT UP!" Naruto finally shouted, regretting the action as he clutched his stomach and doubled over on his hands and knees, more blood dripping from his mouth.

"It's all true you know," Zaku sneered. He reached out and clutched Naruto's chin in his hand, forcing him to look up at him. "You don't want to hear it, but you know it's true. You've got no one left now…but you can trust me Naruto."

Naruto laughed bitterly.

Why the hell should I trust you?" he said. "You used me to get to Kyuubi, to find out if he had a weakness!"

"Exactly," Zaku said. "I already betrayed you once, so I couldn't do anything more, ne? My betrayal to you seems almost invisible after that raven guy."

Naruto's eyes grew somber and he closed his eyes.

"You don't have to trust anyone, Naruto…" Zaku said, his grip on Naruto's chin suddenly becoming gentler. His grey eyes followed the line of blood that seeped from Naruto's lips and ran down his golden neck.

Naruto's eyes shot open when he felt something hot and wet lash against his skin. He let out an involuntary shudder as Zaku's tongue cleaned up the blood over his neck and chin and traced his lips.

"You…you shot me," Naruto said, wincing and pressing a hand to his stomach.

"That was Dosu actually," Zaku said. "He's the one who brought you here. He got kinda carried away when you struggled, but at least he didn't kill you."

Naruto turned his head away again only to have it brought back by Zaku's hand on his chin.

"Stay here, Naruto…" he said. "Right now we're at the base of the largest gang in the whole city. Unlike most gangs, we're not a family. We don't care about each other and don't show feelings. We do things 'cause we want to, and they don't mean anything. You don't have to get close to anyone, and we don't encourage it."

Naruto's breath came out in shaky exhales as he bore into Zaku's grey eyes.

"Stay…"

Naruto jumped a bit when Zaku pressed his lips against his own. He growled in protest and tried to shove the brunette off of him, which only resulted in Zaku pinning his wrists to the wall he rested against and more sharp daggers of pain shooting up through his body from his wound.

He wriggled as Zaku demanded entrance to his mouth with his tongue, tears gathering in the corners of the blond's eyes in pain from the shot in his stomach that seemed to be sucking the life out of his body.

Naruto finally stopped, his body too weak to protest any longer, and gave in.

He parted his lips to Zaku, allowing his tongue to poke and probe around his mouth. Naruto's skin tingled as Zaku rubbed their tongues together sensually, and the taste of hot cinnamon erupted in his mouth. It stung, but at the same time was slicked with a syrupy sweetness.

He whined, this time out of his own consent, and gripped the front of Zaku's black AFI tee-shirt as all energy drained from him. Zaku falsely took this as encouragement and placed one hand at the back of Naruto's head and the other on his firm chest.

Naruto felt something tug at the back of his mind.

This was wrong.

And yet…

"_We do things 'cause we want to, and they don't mean anything."_

Zaku's oh so recent words rang in his head.

"'_They don't mean anything…'"_ he thought. _"Not everything has to mean something. This…"_

Zaku gripped Naruto's spiked locks and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss as much as possible, their tongues clashing.

"…_this doesn't mean anything. I'm not doing it so that it does. I'm doing this because I want to…no. This isn't because I want to. It's because I have to…"_

Zaku ran one hand under the back of Naruto's shirt, tracing a line down his spine as he sucked at the blond's tongue. He shivered as Naruto let out a delectable involuntary groan, and he couldn't hold himself back any longer.

"…_in order to keep my life for now."_

Naruto gasped as Zaku thrust a hand down his jeans and began stroking him through his boxers. He tried to suppress the noise rising in his throat, but failed miserably. He groaned as pleasure from the brunette and pain from his wound twisted together in an intoxicating combination that made him lust for more and beg for it all to stop simultaneously.

He let out a small cry of pain as Zaku straddled him and placed a hand right over his bullet mark. Zaku immediately moved the hand back up more and away from the partially dried, bloody mess.

Naruto gasped as Zaku suddenly gathered him in his arms and stood up, walking quickly to the other side of the room that Naruto now noticed was small and empty.

The brunette ripped open the door and rushed down a hallway, Naruto wincing in his arms.

"Where-"

"My room," Zaku said, answering Naruto's question as he opened another door to a huge front entrance room lined with expensive portraits and a lavish winding staircase.

"Where the hell am I?" Naruto said as Zaku started up the stairs.

"I told you before," Zaku said. "We're at the gang headquarters."

"It's in a huge ass mansion?"

"Yea. We get our own rooms if we want them."

Naruto wriggled in Zaku's grasp in a futile attempt to escape, and he let out a silent scream as Zaku lifted up his legs and purposely crushed them against his bullet mark.

Zaku kept him in the torturous position until the blond went hopelessly limp, numb from pain, and he turned down a blue carpeted hallway and pulled open the first door on his right.

* * *

Kankuro heaved a sigh as he sagged against the door leading to the porch outside.

Sasuke would have done the same if a certain older brother hadn't been examining his newly obtained split lip.

"Sorry about that," Kankuro said. "Gaara holds Naruto very close, and if something to do with Naruto upsets Gaara, he goes a little…"

"Crazy?" Sasuke filled in.

Kankuro sighed again.

"It's not his fault," he said. "One reason that Naruto and Gaara are so close is that they are the same."

"The same?" Itachi said.

Kankuro nodded.

"Gaara also has a split personality."

* * *

Naruto winced as Zaku roughly threw him onto his (admittedly nice) bed, smashing his back against the headboard.

His opened his mouth to state his displeasure when it was covered by another one kissing him quickly.

"Za-Zaku-"

Naruto shut his eyes tightly as Zaku's once softer kisses morphed into rough, demanding ones.

He winced as his lips were defiled over and over again until he could practically sense them becoming bruised.

"_It's fine, it doesn't matter…"_ Naruto thought as Zaku pushed him fully down and straddled him. _"It's to keep my life for now. I'm vulnerable enough to kill with one punch at this point…."_

The brunette grounded his hips down harshly onto Naruto's, causing the blond to gasp not in pleasure, but in discomfort. His hands flew to his wound and he coughed, blood spilling down his lips as the shock traveled up his body.

"Za-aku," he gasped.

Zaku reached into his back pocket and pulled out a roll of bandages and disinfectant oil.

"You want these?" he said mockingly. "Then be good for a few minutes and you can have them Naru-chan."

Naruto glared at Zaku as he replaced the medical pieces in his back pocket and immediately crushed his lips against the blond's.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly and gripped his shoulders defensively as if hugging himself until Zaku separated his arms and pinned his wrists to the mattress.

"C'mon…" Zaku cooed, dragging his covered body up Naruto's, who winced slightly. "You want the relief, you need to work for it."

Zaku engulfed Naruto's mouth again, capturing and recapturing his lips roughly, biting and sucking at them. His tongue rapped against Naruto's in quiet defiance and control, and he gripped the blond's hips tightly.

Naruto kept his mouth limp and unresponsive, not shutting the brunette out but not welcoming him in either.

Zaku noticed this lack of participation and moved his fingers under Naruto's shirt, digging his nails into velveteen golden skin sharply.

Naruto let out a small yelp and punched Zaku away with the little strength he possessed.

"I'm not some toy," Naruto hissed.

Zaku growled and rubbed his left cheek where Naruto had hit him, a bruise forming there already. He lunged and pinned Naruto back down forcefully to the bed.

"You weren't a moment ago," he snarled. "If you had cooperated then I would have given you what you needed to subdue your pain, and we could have had an awesome time from there. But if you won't give in to me, then I'll just have to force you to!"

Naruto let out a cry as Zaku pressed his own body down on his bullet wound and incarcerated his mouth with brutal force.

He fought with what little energy remained in his body, trying to push the brunette off of him, which only proved more painful with every movement, Zaku's grip on his wrists becoming almost unbearably harsh.

Zaku parted from Naruto's mouth after thoroughly plundering it, a glistening string of saliva connected between their panting lips briefly before swiftly breaking.

Zaku attached to Naruto's sun-kissed neck, biting and sucking it forcefully, all pleasure and passion completely absent and washed away with the tide.

Naruto bit his lip to keep from crying out again, and Zaku's fingers edged their way under his shirt, starting off slowly and then ripping the article of clothing from the blond's body, followed by his own sweatshirt and black tank top.

He mashed Naruto's sore and bruised wrists against the wooden headboard as he ran his tongue up Naruto's lower torso, dipping it in his wound for a split second and making him cringe and tears gather once more at his eyes. The brunette continued up, nipping and sucking roughly here and there.

"I get what I want, even if I have to take it by force," Zaku said, resuming his undoing of Naruto's belt. "That includes you!"

* * *

Sasuke looked up as Temari reentered the room from the porch, Gaara in tow behind her.

Sasuke tensed and Temari put up a comforting hand.

"He's fine," she said. "Relax."

"_Easier said than done,"_ Sasuke thought, adjusting in his seat on the couch. Gaara moved past him and sat on the opposite couch, his arms crossed and eyes looking down at the coffee table in front of him.

"Gaara, what happened?" Temari said, sitting beside her brother and ruffling his red hair affectionately.

Gaara sighed deeply.

"Naruto won't answer his cell phone," he said, and Sasuke snorted.

"_That's_ your reason for attacking me like some wild animal?" he hissed, and Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"It's not that simple Sasuke," Temari said, placing a restraining hand on her younger brother's shoulder. "Naruto _always_ answers his cell phone no matter what unless he's in trouble."

"And this means that we can assume the worst," Itachi said, catching the blonde's drift.

Temari nodded.

"We need to split up and look for him," Kankuro said. "I'll call Kurochi and Iruka."

"Iruka?" Sasuke said, furrowing his eyebrows at the mention of his English teacher.

"Iruka used to run the adoption center that Naruto stayed at while waiting for Jiraiya," Kankuro said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "He's like the real father Naruto never had."

Gaara stood and grabbed his jacked from the rack on the back of the front door.

"I'll search near Suna and the west area," he said. "Kurochi can split up in other directions."

"Where should I look?" Sasuke said, standing.

Gaara flicked his gaze to him, and Sasuke was surprised that his jade orbs weren't clouded over with anger or bitterness, but…affection and worry.

"You've done enough," the redhead murmured, closing the door as he exited.

* * *

Naruto opened his mouth and let a silent scream slip from between his kiss bruised lips, clutching the bloodstained sheets beneath him in agony.

Every fiber of his body begged for mercy as the brunette dug his nails into his shoulder blades harshly, dragging them slowly down the glistening golden back beneath him until he drew blood.

Naruto's eyes fluttered shut, held up only by sheer will power as they became misty with pain.

Tearstains remained clinging to his whiskered cheeks as if trying to comfort him somehow with their presence, his only friends in the dark.

Naruto gasped and bit into his lip, fighting down the thousandth cry to try and drag his mouth apart.

He wished that the bullet within him would move up with some unknown power and strike his heart.

He wished would bleed until the covers were worn with scarlet and his unmoving body lie resting above them.

He wished that he had died with Haku all those years ago.

"Say my name," he heard the brunette above him growl.

Naruto shuddered as the pain drifted through his body in rough ripples, each one stretching father and hitting harder than the last. He clawed in his mind desperately for Kyuubi once more, no longer feeling his presence in his body but hopelessly trying to reach him any way he could.

_"Please…answer me…"_ Naruto thought desperately, tears gracing his cheeks once more. _"Let me know you're there…don't leave me…!"_

"Say my n-name!" Zaku shouted, digging his nails into the base of Naruto's neck.

"No!" Naruto hissed with what energy he could spare.

"Next time…" Zaku breathed, reaching his hands upand gripping Naruto's wrists tightly. "You will say my name."

* * *

**My god I feel terrible…**

**Oh! Before I forget, Gomi-kun and I are now posted as Betas! We have currently already finished one commission and are working for Stairwell-san, but feel free to PM us to beta even more! ;3 And there's a new poll on my profile concerning this fic!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**

**Kyu kyu!**


	9. All the Rest

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Heheh……this fic is getting a bit dark, ne?**

**Gomi-kun: -–.—'''**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Well, my lappy Juko's (yes, I named him) motherboard 'sploded, so now I'm had to usethis bitchy version of an old laptop of Gomi's. And now Juko is FINALLy back! Yay!**

**Gomi-kun: --.--**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: YOSH! --flames of youth--**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies-**

**To Asian Tinkerbell: Gomen...it had to be done. T.T And believe me, it was an emotional strain for me to write. ;( Will Zaku die a terrible death? Hmm...I was thinking of it, but I'm not sure. Aha! What a wonderful poll idea! Arigatou!**

**To knute314: Thanks for not being upset!**

**To NiChee: You want Naruto to kill him, eh? Hmm...revenge...me likie! Muaha...**

**To Sutzina Zion: --sigh-- I'm going to have to torture Naruto more...gomen! And unfortunately Itachi is half fangirl and half serious older brother in this fic, not a physco T.T**

**To Dreamergirl667: Y-y-your science teacher sound creey! O.o Gomi-kun: Thanks. I'm underappreciated and held here doing yaoi against my will T.T**

**To Second Storey Stairwell: Thanks for doing the poll, and yes, I was sooo drained!**

**To cluelessninja65: Naruto feels betrayed by Temari because she said that he could live with them after he left Jiraiya, but as soon as he opened the door to Temari's house, Sasuke (aka the person that hurt Naruto terribly) was standing in the living room. The fact that she let in his worst enemy was like betrayal to him. Sorry to keep you waiting!**

**To Dizzykins: Gomen, but Naru is going to be in for alot more pain T.T And Sasu won't be forgiven yet!**

**Moonlit Dew: Thanks moonlit-chan! ;) We get alot more from Sasuke's side than last time here, and thanks for not throwing anything! Huggles!**

**To no name: Hopefully, but not anytime soon unfortunately!**

**To Yanita24: So true, but do think he will view Naruto as tainted or too much trouble when he finds out? ;(**

**To Shinigamii-Ji: That question, "Am I ready to die yet?" is really something that Naruto juggles with in this chapter. While living can be a privlage, does he really have anything left to live for? Then again, no one could possibly break him more. Arigatou!**

**To greatstars: Yays! Your are correct! Orochimaru owns the mansion, but that's not stated until a little later. Good guess! ;) Where is Kyuubi? Hmm...I dunno...heh**

**To Chronos guardian: The question is rather WHEN will Naruto get out of Zaku's grasp? I'm such a mean writer...T.T**

**To blusum: Yes, the sad part is that we all know deep down they love each other, but Sasuke is such an asshole...--sigh--**

**To algerlanny: Thanks so much! You made me smile! O.O COOKIES...OMG...i can has them now? --pouts--**

**To frizzy197: Thanks for staying loyal even through my abusing of Naruto!**

**To Ninjalicious Babe: Er...it's good for the story, but bad in real life...is that what you meant? Hehe...**

**To LAzy L0ve: Sorry I didn't update sooner; this went through alot of editing and ate up time! T.T**

**To The Only Love for Soujiro Seta: True, Naruto is kinda NarUKE in this fic, but his friends aren't into him that way thankfully! Ah yes, Itachi. Fangirl and serious older brother. How the hell did that happen!? Yes, the lemon was onesided on purpose, but thankfully that won't happen again with Gaara! Zaku is icky...I kno...:b And yes, Sasuke has trust issues since Naruto lied to him about who he was. That, and he's also a bastard. -.-**

**To Gosangoku: --huff huff-- Oh, my hand T.T Answering all these reviews makes my hands hurt T.T --pant--...Three days!? Why have you been up so long!? O.O Kurochi means "black blood". It's also a term for a blood disease in Japan, but I'm just going with the literal form of "black blood" here. Oh heavens my hand...I so sorry I'm complaining! T.T Lovely review! Huggles for you! (Hello Gosan-chan's kitty!)**

**POLL RESULTS!**

**Should Sasuke in my story "See With Different Sight" be forgiven for what he did to Naruto?**

**-Yes! Poor Sasuke! Give him his uke! --14 votes**

**-No way.** --**9 votes**

**-Noooooooo! More torture I say, moooooore! --3 votes**

**-Don't care. --2 votes**

**-Sure, why not. --1 vote**

**My answer to your pole is...no! Sasuke shall not be given his uke yet! There will be much more to come first! Prepare yourself Teme!**

**Inspiring Songs:**

"**Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis**

**Closed off from love  
I didn't need the pain  
Once or twice was enough  
And it was all in vain  
Time starts to pass  
Before you know it you're frozen**

**But something happened  
For the very first time with you  
My heart melts into the ground  
Found something true  
And everyone's looking round  
Thinking I'm going crazy**

**But I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I**

**Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open**

**Trying hard not to hear  
But they talk so loud  
Their piercing sounds fill my ears  
Try to fill me with doubt  
Yet I know that the goal  
Is to keep me from falling**

**But nothing's greater  
Than the rush that comes with your embrace  
And in this world of loneliness  
I see your face  
Yet everyone around me  
Thinks that I'm going crazy, maybe, maybe**

**But I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I**

**Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
You cut me open**

**And it's draining all of me  
Oh they find it hard to believe  
I'll be wearing these scars  
For everyone to see**

**But I don't care what they say  
I'm in love with you  
They try to pull me away  
But they don't know the truth  
My heart's crippled by the vein  
That I keep on closing  
You cut me open and I**

**Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
I keep bleeding  
I keep, keep bleeding love  
Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love**

* * *

**Chapter dedication: So many reviews...my hand hurts...X( Anyways...this one is for The Only Love for Soujiro Seta, algerlanny, and Gosan-chan's kitty! Onward!**

**Chapter Nine: All the Rest**

--

Gaara shoved his fists into the pockets of his jeans.

He didn't run because he knew that it wouldn't make a difference.

It wouldn't help Naruto; he was already a captive by his mind either way, whether or not he was really in trouble.

The winter wind nipped at Gaara's pale and uncovered neck, and he pulled the collar of his jacket up more in an attempt to shield it from the chill.

* * *

Naruto felt the air around him closing in on his quivering form, threatening to swallow him up if he dared to move.

He listened to the sound of his even breathing, feeling it sweep in and out of his body as if trying to mend his newly earned scars; both the inner and the outer ones.

Naruto knew the truth though.

He would always remember what happened not even eleven hours ago.

Naruto didn't open his eyes.

He didn't want to see the room around him in which the past evening's nightmare had taken place, for fear the image would be burned into his mind forever.

He didn't want to get up and feel the new aches and shots of pain ripple through his tainted body.

He didn't want to wake up and see the person lying next to him.

Naruto didn't move as he felt the sheets beneath him shift, and a hand pulled him backwards. The same hand that had clutched his wrists so tightly against the bedpost the night before until blood flowed from his skin.

A low purr of approval reverberated in Zaku's throat as he pulled Naruto to him, the blond's warmth stretching over his own satisfied body.

Naruto bit his lip as Zaku's hand pressed over the bullet wound on his stomach, crusted over with dried blood and four red lines running along beside it.

Zaku could have sharp nails when he wanted to.

Naruto wished he could cry.

Crying always seemed to wash away everything; all the pain and the noise, every memory burning a hole through the back of his mind.

But he couldn't.

He had no more tears left to give. Like his life, he had nothing left to cry for, because nothing mattered anymore.

* * *

Ino paced back and forth outside of Sunagkure High, bringing her cupped hands close to her lips every so often to blow warm air into them and rub them together.

Kiba sat on the bench with Sai, biting his fingernail and staring hard at his feet. The other raven had his head tilted up to the sky, his eyes closed as his short black hair fell around his pale face, fluttering now and then with the wind.

Tenten sniffled, holding a tissue to her nose as she blew into it for the thousandth time. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and the hair from the usually well kept brown buns atop her head were messy with strands flying everywhere and hanging in her face.

The group looked up as they heard the crunching of footsteps over the grass, glazed over with early morning frost.

Kankuro met the eyes of each member of Kurochi, the fear for their blond friend and leader reflected evidently in their miserable stares.

"Ok," Kankuro said. "We're all splitting up. Kiba and Tenten, you two go to the east of town. Sai and Ino to the north. I'll head out to the south where Itachi will meet me to help. Gaara is searching around the west and near downtown. Temari and Iruka are looking near Konoha and the outskirts of the city."

"What about Sasuke?"

The group's surprised gazes flicked to Kiba. No one would have thought him to ask about Sasuke, seeing as he was the one that hated him the most.

"Sasuke's done enough already," Kankuro said.

"That bastard should be out here breaking his ass to find Naruto!"

"If you were Naruto, would _you_ want Sasuke to be the one who found you?"

Kiba opened his mouth, then shut it and looked to the ground.

Kurochi exchanged glances with each other, and then sped off in their different directions.

* * *

Naruto didn't move as he felt the weight beside him shift once again, and this time rise from the bed.

He heard Zaku yawn, and after a few footsteps, the door closed and the sound of footsteps was replaced with that of running water.

The first rays of the sun were peeking through the clouds, and somehow had managed to fight their way through the curtain covered window to dance over Naruto's closed eyelids.

Naruto wasn't sure of how much longer he could torture himself.

He opened his eyes slowly and sat up.

The room around him was bare apart from a desk, some bookshelves, a walk in closet, a dresser, and a large circular window on the opposite wall from the bed.

Naruto hissed in pain and let his body fall back onto the mattress, digging his nails into the sheets beneath him.

He felt the space under his stomach become wet, and he knew that his wound had been ripped open and he was bleeding again.

Naruto ignored the sensation of the hot blood oozing down his skin and seeping into the gray sheets as he tried to think of something…anything else in the world to his mind away from this place, this room, this bed…

"_Haku."_

The thought came to him instantly.

Naruto closed his eyes and willed his weak and fragile memory to transport him back to once-upon-a-time.

_Flashback—_

"_Hey, Haku!!"_

_A amber-eyed brunette looked up from his place on the ground where he was lying comfortably, and let out an "oof!" as he was tackled back down._

"_Haku! HakuHakuHaku!!" Naruto yammered excitedly as he pinned Haku down to the chilly earth beneath them._

"_Hello Naruto," Haku said, pushing Naruto off of him gently and laying back down again._

"_Whatcha doin' Haku?" Naruto said, taking a seat next to the brunette._

"_Just waiting for it to snow…" Haku said, smiling a bit._

_Naruto scrunched his nose in confusion._

"_Man, what is it with you and snow? It's just a bunch of ice and stuff!"_

"_I suppose so, but…" Haku's small smile faded a little. "I feel sorry for it I guess."_

"_Huh?" Naruto said, lying down next to his best friend._

"_Everyone is always so excited when Spring or Summer comes around because it gets warm and the snow melts," Haku explained. "No one ever likes the snow. People think it's cold and dreary during the winter and don't ever acknowledge it. It's a shame that no one never stops to just watch the snow fall, even for a second, because underneath all of the dark clouds and cold wind…it's so beautiful."_

_Haku turned his head and smiled at the blond beside him._

"_Just like you, Naruto."_

"_Eh?" Naruto said, blinking. He scoffed._

"_You must have been laying out in the cold for too long Haku, 'cause you definitely can't be talking about me!" he said, grinning._

_Haku smiled._

"_No, I __**am**__ talking about you."_

"_I don't get it. You think I'm beautiful, Haku?"_

_Haku laughed and Naruto felt his insides become warm against the chill of the ground. Haku never laughed for anyone but him and his brother Zabuza, and it was one of the most beautiful sounds Naruto swore he would ever hear in his life, even though he was only thirteen and Haku one year older._

"_Of course Naruto," Haku said. Naruto's breath hitched in his throat as Haku sat up and cupped his scarred face in his pale porcelain-like hands. "You're always beautiful Naruto, even on your worst day. You're the only one who makes me laugh."_

_Naruto's eyes widened a bit as Haku leaned in closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart._

"_H-Haku?" Naruto said uneasily._

"_Close your eyes, Naruto," Haku said softly._

_Naruto took a deep breath and did as the brunette said._

_Suddenly though, his eyes flew open as he felt something warm and soft press against his lips._

_A rush unlike any other cascaded through his body, sending a stream of colors over his eyes and causing his pupils to dilate._

_Haku was kissing him…Haku was kissing him…Haku was __**kissing**__ him!_

_Naruto's brain had just caught up this much when the sensation left him as Haku pulled away._

_Naruto blinked as the brunette flopped back down onto the ground and looked up at the sky once more, his hands behind his head as he watched the clouds move as though the past ten seconds hadn't existed._

_Naruto touched two fingers to his lips and blinked again._

_And again._

_Wait for it…_

"_HAKU!! You bastard! You stole my first kiss!" Naruto shouted, flailing his arms wildly._

"_As you did mine," Haku said, smiling._

"_Yea, but I didn't __**steal**__ it! I mean-...that was your first kiss too?"_

_Haku stood up and grinned at Naruto._

_He laughed nodded._

"_Why...Haku, why would you give me your first kiss?" Naruto asked softly._

_Haku smiled again, and it reached his amber eyes and made them glow brightly._

_Naruto abruptly looked at his hand as he felt something cold touch it, and he lifted his eyes to the sky, small white flakes falling from it in soft waves._

"_I had to leave you behind something meaningful after I'm gone."_

_Naruto looked back at Haku._

"'_Gone?' What do you mean, 'gone'?"_

_Haku chuckled and moved forward, and Naruto blushed as the brunette's pale face was suddenly only inches from his once more._

_Haku flicked Naruto's nose._

"_It's a secret," he said, smiling as Naruto pouted and rubbed his abused nose._

_--End Flashback_

Naruto gripped his shoulders tightly and curled into a ball on the bed as he felt his stomach pull into a suffocating knot.

He understood now.

Haku's final gift.

Naruto shut his eyes, and to his amazement, he felt a tear slip down the side of his cheek.

Haku knew that he was going to die.

* * *

Sasuke shut the door to the Sabaku household with a satisfying slam.

It didn't matter if they hated him and didn't want him out looking for the blond. It didn't matter if he was or wasn't the cause of what had happened to Naruto. It didn't matter that the city was huge and the one person they were looking for out of a thousand could already be dead by now.

All that mattered was what had dawned on Sasuke previously two weeks ago that he had thrown to the back of his mind, and was now making itself more apparent than ever with every step he took.

He loved Naruto.

God...he loved him.

Sasuke knew that he would never be able to compare with what Naruto had gone through, but if he were in the blond's place…he wouldn't have trusted anyone either; even someone he supposedly felt feelings for.

Even _**he**_ wouldn't have told the truth about who he was.

Sasuke pulled his jacket closer to him as he ran out into the streets.

"_Dobe…you better not be dead."_

* * *

Zaku stretched his arms up, his back making a pleasing cracking sound.

He shook out his wet hair as he grabbed a towel from the rack beside the shower and tied it around his waist.

He opened the door, letting out some steam from the hot water, and walked across the hall back into his room.

He grinned as he closed the door.

Naruto was standing up, his back to Zaku as he stared out of the wide circular window across from the bed.

His chest was bare, and in the early morning light pouring in through the window Zaku could see the red bleeding fingernail marks he had left over Naruto's spine and golden skin.

He wore the pair of black skinny jeans ripped at the knees that he had sported when he was kidnapped, his shirt too bloody from his bullet wound to put back on.

His hair was messy and spiked up all around; a typical hairdo after waking up, but bed-head had never looked so good as it did now painted in gold.

Zaku walked over soundlessly to the blond and slipped his hands around his waist, smirking when Naruto stiffened under his touch.

"Ohayo Naruto-kun," he said, letting his hands travel up his chest.

He purposefully let his fingers glide over the bullet hole in Naruto's stomach, and was surprised when the blond only flinched.

"Ne, Naruto," Zaku said, leaning his head on Naruto's shoulder. "You want those bandages now?"

Naruto swallowed.

Zaku was teasing him….the bastard was teasing him.

Naruto opened his mouth to say no, just to protest against what he knew Zaku wanted him to say, when he suddenly felt a sharp jolt from his stomach and he collapsed to the ground, his hand gripping over his wound.

Zaku chuckled as Naruto managed to pick himself up enough to lean against the wall, his breathing none too light as sweat began to gather in small droplets on the back of his neck.

God….

God it hurt so bad….

"Well?" Zaku said expectantly, crouching down in front of Naruto.

Ever fiber of Naruto's being shouted at him to say yes, to give his body the relief he so desperately needed, while his pride—no, his heart—spurred him to say no.

Naruto shuddered as he felt Zaku's fingers dance up his naked arms, defying the brunette's rough nature as they delicately swept over the golden skin beneath them hypnotically.

"No."

Zaku's finger's froze.

He didn't speak or lash out like Naruto thought he would. No, in fact, his face was covered with an air of concentration, as if he was contemplating which action to take next.

"You know…you're going to die if you don't get that bullet out of you and stop the bleeding," Zaku finally said, his expression blank, but voice laced with the thinnest layer of concern.

Naruto didn't even notice it, his senses weakening as he sat there and his vision becoming obscure as the room tilted on its axis and seemed to turn upside down.

"That's…that's the point," Naruto breathed.

Zaku's pupils dilated a bit.

Naruto coughed, blood splattering onto the dark brown wooden floor beneath him.

"I've had enough……there is nothing else you or anyone else could do to me at this point…to torture me more," Naruto said. "I give up. It's not worth it…it's just not worth it anymore. I would have liked to die somewhere else…somewhere where I wasn't held against my will…but I guess that's the way my life has always been. Not everyone gets what they want….right?"

Naruto lifted his head to look back up at the light filtering in through the window, smiling sadly.

"It feels as if I have been living for so long..."

Zaku gripped Naruto's arms tightly.

"You can't die yet," he hissed.

Naruto's eyes fluttered shut, then opened halfway.

"If you won't let me die…I'll kill myself."

"You're not going to get the chance to do that."

Naruto gasped as he felt immense pressure slam against his bullet wound, and he fell forward.

He blacked out the moment he hit the floor.

* * *

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

"…_hello?"_

Sasuke let out the breath he had been holding as Neji picked up the line.

"Neji, I need you to get Shino and Lee. Naruto is missing," he said.

"_Is this the same Naruto that you've been depressing over for weeks because he lied to you about who he really was?"_

"Hn."

"_He probably just went away to find some seclusion for a bit."_

"This is serious! All of his friends are out looking for him! He could be dead by now!!"

"…_..you really are in love with this guy, aren't you?"_

Sasuke didn't answer as he felt his throat become dry, and his insides tightened to the point where he felt like screaming.

"Yea…" he croaked, for once in his entire life sounding helplessly weak. "…I really am…"

* * *

**Let me please take this time to remind you all who are waiting for me to turn this around into a happy ending soon...**

**This is not a fic for the weak of heart. If you want a definite happy ending to come quickly and surely, then please, spare your heart the trouble and find another fic. Please! I won't be responsible for tears! The happy ending for this fic will not be coming anytime soon, so all of you still on abord, strap on your seatbelts cuz you're in for a wild ride!**

**Oh, and btw, if anyone is curious as to what's happening with my other fics, see my profile and go down to the new section I have added that displays the progress of each one! There's also a new pole up on my profile concerning this fic, so vote away! Arigatou!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**

* * *


	10. Collision

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: My my I have been away for a while, ne? ^^; I don't really have an excuse. This chapter has been done for a very long time, but I had trouble thinking of whether to continue it, making it an insanely long chapter, or to cut if off somewhere and make it very short. So I jammed out some more lines and decided that this was a good medium between the two. Well exams are almost over, so Gomi is still studying like a mad person on crack. Thus he does not have anything to input in this little blab you see for every chapter because he only had time to translate the chapter, do a quick grammar check and then go back to studying. So please apologize any rushed mistakes in advance! ^^**

**--**

**Reviewer Replies-**

**I'd like to let you all know now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Questions:**

**No Inquiries.**

* * *

"**Cemetery Drive" by MCR**

This night, walk the dead  
In a solitary style  
And crash the cemetery gates.  
In the dress your husband hates  
Way down, mark the grave  
Where the search lights find us  
Drinking by the mausoleum door  
And they found you on the bathroom floor

I miss you, I miss you so far  
And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard

Back home, off the run  
Singing songs that make you slit your wrists  
It isn't that much fun, staring down a loaded gun  
So I won't stop dying, won't stop lying (are you there at all?)  
If you want I'll keep on crying (do you care at all?)  
Did you get what you deserve? (are you there at all?)  
Is this what you always want me for?

I miss you, I miss you so far  
And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard

Way down, way down  
Way down, way down  
Way down, way down  
Way down, way down

I miss you, I miss you so far  
And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard

When will I miss you, when will I miss you so far  
And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard  
Made it so hard

Way down, way down...

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Collision**

--

Temari remembered the nights when her father was still alive. He was gone often, and when he did come home it was a celebration. Late at night when Temari couldn't sleep she used to tug at his sleeve and ask for a bed time story. Her father would lead her back to her room and tuck her in snugly, sitting on the edge of her bed and opening up a small book with bright colors dappling the front cover and spine.

He would tell stories of knights and princesses, of impoverished families and the genies that brought them wonderful riches. Her father's voice lulled her into a comforting sleep, and when her eyelids became too heavy, she would fall into the warm abyss of dreamland.

"_Daddy?"_

_Temari's father stopped in the doorway, his hand hovering over the light switch. He looked back at his daughter with kind eyes._

"_Hm?" he said._

_Temari fingered her light blue blanket._

"_All of those stories end so happy," she said. "Does everyone's story end like that?"_

_Temari's father paused to think, then said gently, "Yes. I suppose in the end, everyone does find their happy ending."_

Then Temari met Naruto.

Then she knew that not everyone's story had a happy ending.

* * *

White.

Blond lashes fluttered weakly, and the first thing Naruto distinguished between them was completely white.

He let his eyes open completely, blinking away the dizziness cast over them from fainting, and saw the ashen ceiling hovering above him.

He sat up, wincing, to find that he was lying on a white marble floor. The room he was held in was large, with white walls and one pallid door that seemed to intermingle with the wall so perfectly that it was if it wasn't even there.

Naruto looked down to check his bullet wound, and was surprised to find it wrapped with white bandages, stained red from his blood. From what he could feel when he moved, most of the pain was still there, though he had to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as before.

Naruto closed his eyes as he tried to remember what had happened before he blacked out from intense pain. He remembered Zaku, hitting the wall, falling to the floor, and…then it was all smothered in darkness.

He reopened his eyes, and his blue orbs fell on something that he had not seen upon first casting a glance around the room.

Not one foot in front of him, was a sleek black handgun. It shone in the light and reflected Naruto's face.

Naruto's heart stopped completely, then started again rapidly as he reached forward. He shivered as his fingers brushed against the cold metal, and he closed his eyes. The feeling was familiar…comforting…

Naruto wrapped his hand around the gun, his index finger resting on the trigger as he cradled it gently.

_Flashback—_

"_Haku…" Naruto murmured, watching in confusion as his best friend loaded a gun and held it out to him._

"_Here," Haku said. "It's for your protection."_

_Naruto slipped his hand uneasily into the gun, his eyes never leaving Haku._

"_But…"_

"_I can't risk you getting hurt," Haku cut him off, loading his own gun quickly._

_Naruto shivered and pulled his jacket more tightly around him. He leaned against the side of the ally way, his breath protruding from his lips in white wisps as the air chilled it even before it had left his mouth._

"_Haku…" Naruto tried again._

"_I'm sorry Naruto," Haku said, kneeling down and holding the blond's head between his hands. "I never wanted to get you involved in all of these gang wars."_

_Naruto grinned a little._

"_I-it's ok," he said. "I just wish it wasn't so damn cold!"_

_Haku smiled and rested his forehead against Naruto's._

"_Stay here until you see the flare go up, alright? Use your gun to protect yourself." Haku placed his hands on Naruto's that was currently holding his gun, and gave them a light squeeze. He lifted the hands and pressed his pale lips against them in a soft kiss before quickly standing up and running out of the ally, flagging a sharp left as the sound of a barrage of bullets being fired followed him._

_--End Flashback_

Naruto rubbed his index finger up and down the trigger fondly. He pulled out the ammunition.

One bullet.

He closed it again with a soft click, and stared at the reflection of himself that bounced off of its onyx chrome color. He lifted it slowly, almost delicately as if it would break, until he was staring down its barrel.

This was it. This was the last thing he would ever see in this life. This was what his whole life had been leading up to.

This was his final escape.

Naruto closed his eyes as his grip tightened around the handle. All motion of thoughts stopped. All sensations were sedated. Any sound was numbed.

All except the bang of a bullet released with a pull of the trigger.

* * *

Sasuke crossed his arms impatiently.

Of all times why did Shikamaru choose _now_ to be extra late!?

In front of the raven were Shino, Lee, and Neji. They pulled their coats tightly around themselves, the winter wind biting fiercely and licking up their exposed skin.

"That's it, we don't have any more time to wait," Sasuke abruptly said, breaking the silence between all of them.

"Aw, I'm hurt. You're starting without me?"

Sasuke turned around and saw Shikamaru standing there, his bored face on and his hands shoved in his pockets.

Sasuke nodded to him.

"Meet up with Kurochi if you find them. Search everywhere…anywhere. This is serious." Sasuke paused and took a deep breath.

"He could be dead now."

A large black nose sniffed the ground eagerly, ears erect and tail alert and swaying back and forth.

"You sure about this?" Tenten said uneasily, her arms crossed as she shifted on her feet. "Akamaru isn't like a trained police dog y'know."

"He can do it, just watch!" Kiba said.

Akamaru whined and looked up at his master.

Kiba took off Naruto's jacket slung around his shoulder and leaned down to let the dog sniff it yet again.

Akamaru gave the jacket a forlorn lick, missing the blond human, and dropped his nose back to the ground.

He had walked them from the east side of the city back to the northwest, and still had found nothing.

Kiba looked over at Tenten when he suddenly heard sniffling, and the girl crumpled down to the sidewalk, sobbing with her face in her palms.

"H-he's….something terrible has h-happened! I-I just kn-know it!"

Kiba leaned down and placed a comforting arm around the girl.

"Hey, we'll find him," he said gently. "Naruto wouldn't go out without a fight."

The duo lifted their heads as Akamaru started barking suddenly, his tail wagging fervently. He ran forward and tugged at Kiba's sleeve harshly with his teeth before running ahead.

"C'mon!" Kiba said, standing up abruptly and tugging Tenten with him as they sprinted after the dog.

* * *

Sasuke pulled up his collar against the freezing wind as he ran forward.

When Naruto had left the Sabaku house he could have gone downtown or to the countryside.

Something told Sasuke the blond hadn't chosen the latter of the two.

He ran by people on the sidewalk, shoving and pushing his way through the crowd as they shouted and cussed him out. But he didn't care. He wanted, no, _needed_ to see Naruto safe.

Sasuke stopped abruptly in front of a closed store and caught his breath.

He looked at his reflection through the window, and froze when he saw a pair of crystal blue eyes staring back at him.

Sasuke shook his head quickly and looked back at the window to find his own onyx eyes once more.

Sasuke's heart tugged and he banged his fist on the shop window. He had never been so worried in his entire life as much as he was now. He leaned his head against the window and shut his eyes.

"_Where are you…!?"_ Sasuke opened his eyes and almost gasped when he saw a red stain on the cement beneath him.

He bent down to it and ghosted his fingers over the tinge. He lifted his head a bit to the side ally around the corner, and he stood up and carefully walked over to it.

This time he did gasp at what he saw.

* * *

"K-Kiba! Slow down, I can't run that fast!"

Kiba didn't pay any heed to Tenten, and kept sprinting ahead with her in tow by means of his hand.

He wasn't stopping, not when Akamaru was on Naruto's trail. He would carry the girl if he had to!

Akamaru sped around a corner and skid to a halt, his owner almost running into him.

"Why'd you stop?" Kiba said. He let go of Tenten and looked up as Akamaru whined. His chocolate eyes met onyx.

"Uchiha," he seethed. "What're you-" he stopped short when he saw the helpless look on Sasuke's usually strong and emotionless face.

Kiba, Tenten and Akamaru walked beside Sasuke and stared down the ally.

"No…" Kiba breathed.

"Oh my god…" Tenten whispered, bringing her hands to her mouth as tears spilled over them.

The ally way would seem ordinary to any onlooker who spared a three second glace, but on inspection there were many more things to be seen.

Blood covered the ground in a crimson trail and the floor was scuffed.

Sasuke walked forward, the trio following behind him slowly. The ally smelled soggy and overlapped the scent of blood and rust that seemed to seep from the walls. Further up the patches of blood began to stop, and then suddenly ran into large splatters of it pooling on the sides and center of the walls.

In the middle of one puddle was and empty gun shell beside what looked like a necklace.

Sasuke leaned down and tentatively reached forward. He bit his lip as he grabbed the necklace and held it in his palm. He wiped away the frigid and partially dried blood from the stone in the middle, and it revealed a crystal blue color matching Naruto's eyes.

"That's Naruto's necklace!" Tenten suddenly shouted, rushing forward and kneeling beside Sasuke.

She ran a finger over the blood splattered stone, her tears never stopping.

"We…we're too late…" she said.

"We don't know if this is his blood," Sasuke said, trying to brush off the sense of hopelessness that had blanketed his shoulders in a cold embrace.

"Akamaru can tell," Kiba said, his voice much softer than its usual level. "Akamaru's been with us during gang fights…he knows the scent of Naruto's blood."

Kiba urged the white canine forward.

It slowly padded its way to the largest puddle of blood as if cautious, and gave it an experimental sniff. Akamaru's ears dropped as he turned his head back to Kiba and let out a soft whine.

Kiba's mouth hung open a bit, the lost hope weighing his jaw down.

"So…that's it," he breathed, his breath seeping from his lips in white trails as they met the freezing air.

Tenten stood and backed up from the blood, shaking her head as she tried to contain herself, failing as even more tears dropped down her cheeks. She stopped and turned around abruptly when she ran into Kiba by accident, who seemed to be rooted to his spot.

He quickly pulled her close, and she gripped his shirt tightly as she sobbed.

"_No, this isn't it…this…"_ Sasuke curled his fist until his nails cut open the soft flesh on his palm. _"He's not gone, he can't…he can't be!"_

Sasuke looked down at Naruto's necklace in his clenched fist, and then back down the alley.

He shook his head as the beginnings of fatal tears stung the back of his eyes, and sprinted down the alley.

Kiba watched the raven go as he held Tenten close. He didn't bother to stop him, wherever he was going. It didn't feel like it really mattered anymore.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes were glued to the floor as the splotches of blood continued on down the alley, He made a sharp turn into an abandoned shop, following the red trail like his life depended on it. He flew through the shop, running down one hall until he reached a door hanging lopsided by one hinge.

He kicked the door all the way off as he ran through back, out into another alley outside. He felt his cheeks become wet as tell-tale tears escaped, but he didn't bother to pause and wipe them away.

He flew past buildings and dove over fences as the trail became thinner. It finally stopped completely and Sasuke did too. He panted, catching his breath as he looked up for the first time from the ground.

In front of him was a dilapidated mansion. The structure looked close to collapsing, the pillars holding the gargantuan roof up cracked in various places, black ivy trailing up their necks.

Sasuke took a few steps forward when his eyes found a collapsed sign in front of the abode.

He leaned down and wiped the dirt and muck from it with his sleeve, reading the blurry and scratched words.

_Sanin Sound Estates_

* * *

Naruto stared at the hard marble floor with misty eyes.

He let his hand slack and the now empty black gun clattered to the floor. His body shook violently, the muscles in his right shoulder internally spazzing as they tried to pump more blood to where a black bullet was now firmly lodged.

Naruto looked at his trembling hands listlessly, both splattered with his own blood from the shot.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't break his promise to Haku.

_--Flashback_

"_Hey Naruto."_

"_Ne? Naruto said, looking up from the horizon his eyes had been resting on. It was near twilight, the sun close to setting as faded pinks and purples dappled the scarlet sky. Naruto and Haku sat on the docks outside of town, their legs dangling off the end as they watched the day grow fainter._

"_Promise me something and don't ask why, ok?" Haku said, his eyes still staring out over the darkening horizon._

"_Sure," Naruto said, a confused look passing over his face._

"_Promise me that you'll live my life for me."_

"…_wha-"_

"_Promise me."_

_Naruto paused to scan Haku over, not missing the melancholy settled in those gentle eyes. He wasn't entirely sure of what Haku was asking of him, but he would do anything to make his best friend happy._

"_I promise."_

_Haku finally looked at the blond and smiled softly. He reached forward and cradled Naruto's head between his palms, closing the space between them with a tender kiss._

_Naruto felt his heart leap up into his throat and he froze. He finally registered what was happening, and realized that he didn't want it to stop quite yet._

_Naruto tugged Haku's shirt, bringing him closer as he kissed back for the first time._

_--Flashback End_

Naruto lifted his head when he heard a faint chuckle echo in the empty room.

"Too much of a coward, eh?"

Naruto squinted his eyes as a door opened and a figure stood in the shadows. It walked forward, shutting the door, and stepping into the light.

Naruto wished that the gun he had shot still had that one bullet in it, just so that he could strike down the bastard that now loomed over him.

"_Orochimaru."_

* * *

**Le gasp! Lordy this just gets more and more angsty doesn't it? Xp Well my friends, we don't have much longer to go. Maybe two more chapters and an epilogue and that will be all. I have planned a sequel for this fiction a long time ago called, "Thanks for the Venom". (The title is based on a song by MCR cause it really suits the sequel) Let me remind you all one more, yes, ONE MORE time that if you're expecting that next chapters to be all fluffy frilly save the day and Sasuke and Naruto live happily ever after, then just stop reading right now. Seriously. I mean it! Cause the angst is gonna keep cranking out until the very last sentence.**

**New poll on my profile about this fic. Check it out!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	11. Pain

Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: The second to last chapter…please enjoy! And thank you all for the most loverly reviews! I made this chapter a little longer for you all.  
**

**Reviewer Replies-**

**I'd like to let you all know now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Questions:**

**No Inquiries.

* * *

**

**Chapter Eleven: Pain  
**

--

Kiba wasn't sure how long he had been outside with Tenten by the blood laden ally. He couldn't tell when exactly it started to snow, but somewhere along the line he felt the frozen drops patter against his skin and almost instantly melt.

He didn't know how long Tenten had clung to him, tears pouring endlessly as she sobbed. He felt almost surreal, like nothing was even happening. Time for that matter, wasn't even happening.

To Kiba it had always seemed like Naruto couldn't die. It didn't matter how bad the injury, how painful the wound. He would always show up the next day with a goofy grin on his face and a few extra scars. He was, in a way, invincible.

Kiba should have known better.

Naruto wasn't always so strong, so incredibly hard to beat down. When Kiba had first met him the blond could barely utter a word without turning his gaze to the floor timidly.

Naruto was human, just like the rest of them. Pain, however, in a way seemed to be different for Naruto. Physical pain didn't bother, didn't even seem to hinder him. He just got back up over and over again. But emotional pain seemed to hurt Naruto more than anything Kiba had ever seen. It could tear Naruto apart from the inside out, and he would never pick himself up again. Emotional pain worked its way inside Naruto in a way that Kiba could never dream of relating to.

Kiba realized a couple years after meeting Naruto that this emotional sore spot seemed to be his only weak point. That's why Kyuubi was created. Kyuubi was Naruto's way of turning into someone that didn't have such a weakness. Kyuubi was Naruto's shield against the world. Kiba wondered what would happen if Naruto ever lost himself to Kyuubi, ever decided that he himself couldn't compare to his superior alter ego.

But then Kyuubi wasn't called a demon for nothing.

When Kiba saw Kyuubi descend through Naruto, it was like watching a horrible transformation from human to beast. Kyuubi didn't care about anything, and he knew he didn't. But that was the way Naruto made him. Kyuubi wasn't even a person. He was the ghost of Naruto's confidence.

Kiba blinked, breaking himself from the haze of his thoughts. He looked down at Tenten, gliding his hands over the soft buns on her head as the snow melted into it and turned it a shade darker with frigid wetness.

Kiba looked up at the sky, and he felt his own eyes water a little. Or maybe it was just the snow falling against his lashes.

* * *

Naruto didn't speak as he watched Orochimaru close the door, and it melted back into the white color of the entire room.

Naruto didn't know much about Orochimaru. He had once been a scientist but was arrested for performing inhuman experiments on unwilling participants. He had then gone into business and founded his company around the same time Naruto's father Minato had created his own empire. The two had been extreme rivals, and in a fit of rage Orochimaru shot Minato coming out of his company building after an excellent interview with the press.

Police had searched for Orochimaru but the man had fled the country.

Growing up Naruto always felt such unadulterated hatred for this man…this man that had ruined his life, that had forced him to create Kyuubi.

Naruto felt the rush of fire in his blood as pure hatred burned in his chest, traveling up his throat in liquid form.

"Afternoon Naruto-kun," Orochimaru said as he approached him, a smirk set upon his thin lips.

Naruto felt bile rise up in his throat as he gripped the wound on his shoulder that seemed to be growing hotter and hotter, and blood practically burning through his skin. He spit on the ground in front of Orochimaru, blood mixed with his saliva.

"Oh, someone has a chip on their shoulder," the man chuckled. He passed Naruto, sweeping down beside the blond and scooping up the gun in his hand.

He took out a handkerchief neatly folded in the breast pocket of his suit and wiped the weapon down.

"I have to say, I certainly didn't expect you to be raised as a coward," he remarked casually. He dropped the cloth now sodden with blood and tucked the unloaded gun into his pocket. He looked at Naruto, his eyes digging a tunnel through the blond's sparkling sapphire ones. He smiled a little.

Genuinely.

"You look just like your father."

"Fuck you," Naruto spat, and Orochimaru chuckled.

"You're a spitfire, aren't you? But then again I can't tell whether this is you, or your other self, Kyuubi."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes, I know about Kyuubi. Zaku has informed me of everything. That Kyuubi is just another part of you that was created to shield yourself from the blades of the world. Tell me Naruto, how does it feel to be the shell of a person?" Orochimaru crouched down against the wall. "To be such a worthless human being, such a useless thing, that you have to make another self just to get by?"

As Naruto listened to Orochimaru he bit his lip. He couldn't seem to keep up his head as gravity made it heavier and heavier, and he let it go slack, his golden locks overshadowing his face. The blood loss was dizzying.

"What will you do when you realize that no one really cares about you? They just care about Kyuubi, the great gang lord. Kyuubi has everything, and you, well, you have your pitiful memories. You may think that your 'friends' care about you, but you're hiding yourself from the truth: they don't even know you. How can they be your friends when they can't even see past the Kyuubi to the real person you are? Then again that is impossible as well, since you aren't even a person anymore; you're just a container for Kyuubi."

Naruto's body jolted a little as he bit so hard into the tender flesh on his lip that it split open, blood spurting a little and dripping down his chin. A drop pattered onto the floor and Naruto raised his head. He was grinning, cynically almost, as he tipped his head up to Orochimaru, his hair falling back.

"You're telling me things that I've been saying to myself every day of my life for the past five years."

Orochimaru's smirk slowly fell, and he scrunched his thin eyebrows a little.

Naruto released the wound on his arm, shaking his head as he chuckled.

"People like you could never understand…"

Orochimaru stood up and took two steps back as Naruto rolled himself onto his hands and knees, slipping a little in the blood on the floor.

"Making Kyuubi…was hard enough on its own. You're right, I'm his container--" Naruto coughed harshly, spitting up more blood that poured into the puddles underneath him. "…but he's a part…of me. He's not his own self, not his own entity. He's something that I made. But in order to make him…" Naruto pushed himself up from the floor, ignoring the strain in his injured shoulder as his muscles tightened. He wobbled a little, holding out his hands for balance as his vision ricocheted. "…I have to have his qualities. I can't give him something that I don't already possess. I realize now, that Kyuubi is a lie…Kyuubi is just an extension of myself, and nothing else." Naruto stood to his full height, running a red hand through his hair, leaving heavy streaks of blood from his soaked hand and staining the locks a deep crimson.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, his teeth gritting slightly behind his tight lips. Naruto's eyes were wild, blue tinted slightly red in the bright light of the white room.

"I **am** Kyuubi."

* * *

Sasuke dipped his head up as he scanned the building. It didn't even look like a building anymore, but a skeleton.

He pressed the muscles in his quivering legs forward, the snow that had layered quickly under his shoes crunching. The snow was falling harder now making Sasuke's hair damp, and he pulled his coat more tightly around him.

He shook as he approached the door falling off its hinges.

Naruto could not be in there. He could be gone. He--

Sasuke shook his head, shedding the thoughts from his mind as he gripped his fist tightly and kicked open the door, rushing in

* * *

Naruto wasn't surprised that Orochimaru didn't want to see him anymore, considering that the blond hadn't exactly given him the broken down and helpless reaction he was looking for.

Naruto in the corner of Zaku's room under a broken window. The chilled air outside slipped in through the cracks but he didn't shiver. He was numb.

Zaku sat on his bed, flipping his loaded gun around his finger lethargically.

"So, orochimaru has been behind all this, ne/" the blond asked casually. Zaku snorted.

"Yea. Betcha didn't think of that huh blondie," he smirked.

"No…" Naruto said, standing. He had forgotten about his arm as it pulsed to the beat of his heart. It was just another part of him that was torn. "Then again, I also didn't know that you could do those things to me…"

Zaku raised an eyebrow as Naruto sauntered over to him, his shirt slipping a little from his shoulder to reveal the smooth expanse of sun-kissed skin hiding underneath.

Zaku grinned. "I'm pretty talented." He clipped his gun to his side and laid back, folding his arms behind his head confidently.

Naruto seemed to glide as he made his way over to Zaku coolly. He sat on his knees on the bed, his legs parting more than they needed to.

Naruto reached a hand to his shoulder, wiping his fingers in the half dry blood coating it.

"Seems that I'm still bleeding," he commented lethargically, and licked the blood off of his fingertips.

Zaku smirked. "Maybe I can get ya some bandages, but it's gonna cost ya."

"And what would that cost be?" Naruto asked, crawling on his hands and knees up to Zaku. He glided his body along the brunette's teasingly, and Zaku pulled down the blond's neck, sucking and biting it fiercely.

Naruto groaned and hid a wince, his hand sidling up Zaku's chest. He dipped his fingers under the man's shirt with one hand, hooking them on the inside of his jeans casually. His other hand rubbed up and down Zaku's leg, occasionally brushing against his gun.

"Mm Zaku," he purred, and the brunette released the abused tan flesh to look at him, their lips an inch apart. Naruto smirked as their lips brushed.

"You know why people kill each other?" he whispered.

Zaku gasped as Naruto flipped him over and threw him against the wall by his shirt collar. He immediately began to spring up, but froze when he heard a familiar deadly clicking sound, and he looked up into the barrel of his own gun.

Naruto grinned wildly.

"Cause blood is just so damn _pretty_!"

* * *

Sasuke knew he was in the right place.

From the moment he had burst into the building he was surrounded by three men, each wielding weapons. Luckily he had knocked out the one with the gun when he kicked down the door and it toppled over him. He was also thankful for the martial arts lessons Itachi had taught him, just in case.

After sustaining a cut across his face and one over his arm, Sasuke heaved off the door from the gun man, and swiped his weapon as he ran down the hall.

* * *

Nothing was passing by anymore. Naruto knew that he was moving because the burning in his legs told him so, but everything was just a blur of violent sound and colors swirling together in a chaotic mess.

Naruto punched, kicked, and shot at anything that obstructed him, leaving a bloody trail of bodies. The adrenaline was pumping too fast for him to even register exactly what was happening. Nothing was running through his mind, not one rational thought- only that he had to get out.

He didn't feel any pain that hit him. Every blow, every stab, every shot was blunted instantly once it connected with his body, and any wounds automatically went numb. The strength of his will was incredible; he could feel it pumping, rushing through him like a thick drug, heightening his senses and awareness to the point where he could shoot a dropping pin without even looking, but by relying on sound alone.

The hallways were all dark with the exception of some light creeping in through the cracks in the dilapidated roof. Naruto had been through gunfights in the dark. They were risky and dangerous. You didn't know who you heard grunt or cry out was on your side, or if the person you just shot was your friend. Naruto had fear then- great fear in fact- but he had none now.

Everyone he hit and everything that struck him was an enemy. He didn't even have to worry about looking.

Naruto could taste the bitter tang of his instincts on his tongue, urging him to find out way out to live, just to live and nothing else. He wanted to live- he couldn't die yet. He would never be satisfied if he died in this place.

And more importantly, he had something to take care of.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't believe how the old mansion was build. He was lost in its mazes, going in and out of rooms, down hallways and stairs without any sense of direction. He knew he wasn't going the right way because he hadn't met anymore henchmen.

Sasuke grabbed his cell phone from his coat pocket and speed-dialed Itachi.

"_Hello?"_ Itachi said across the line, picking up immediately.

"Itachi, I know where Naruto is."

"_Where!?"_

"This old mansion behind the bar on the west side of town called Sanin Estates. Tell Temari." Sasuke hung up without another word as his expanse of hallway came to an end. He caught his breath as he turned back, when a sound from below caught his ears. They were muffled and difficult to make out, even when he pressed his ear to the floorboards.

Sasuke surveyed the old wood, and found a rotting piece behind him filled with holes. He pressed his ear against the holes and listened.

"_-ound Zaku in his room. His gun was gone and he had been shot through the chest."_

"_You're telling me that Uzumaki is __**gone**__!?"_

"_We believe he's still in the house sir. There'_ s _a bloody trail of guards down the second floor east hallway that he no doubt tore through."_

"_He's searching for an exit…damn it! Go, get him! Shoot him if you mu-"_

Sasuke didn't stay to hear the rest as he took off like a shot eastward.

* * *

Naruto's trail of blood was finally catching up to him as his body felt the weight of his many wounds. His vision was stirring now and then, and he gasped for air, gulping it like water.

He placed a hand against the wall, leaning on it slightly as he walked, his fingertips painting a path of blood in their wake. Naruto could feel the whips of cold from outside, and knew that he was getting close to either an exit or a torn gap in the house.

"_Just a little more…little…"_ his mind heaved, the exertion of merely thinking in his current state exhausting him. He felt blood dripping from the cuts on his face down his chin, his hair matted with crusty red. He couldn't feel his left arm at all and knew that it had been sliced open, blood leaking profusely and coating it in crimson. His other arm was bruised and dappled with the blood of his enemies.

He limped along, every step ripping through his body. He knew that he had been shot at least twice in his right leg, the blood soaking through his jeans.

Naruto swallowed and it felt like razor blades scraping down his throat. He couldn't remember the last time he drank something. He wasn't even swallowing his own saliva anymore--it was his blood instead that coated the inside of his throat. He was drowning in the blood of his enemies, and the blood of his own body.

The chill in the air became thicker, and Naruto focused his hazy sapphire eyes ahead of him. He could see light filtering through a large opening in the wall ahead.

Naruto picked up his speed, gritting his teeth and ignoring the slices of pain rippling through his entire body. The light came closer and closer, and Naruto closed his eyes as he slammed his shoulder against the wall, and he crashed through, falling from the second floor, the snow laden ground rushing up at his weightless body.

* * *

Sasuke had climbed the crumbling set of stairs up to the second floor, and withdrew a little as the coppery stench of blood and dead bodies slammed against his senses. There wasn't a doubt that this trail was left by Naruto.

Sasuke ran down the crimson hall, careful not to slip on any blood. As he sprinted he saw the horizontal red lines adorning the wall, and couldn't help but worry if it was Naruto's blood. A chill whooshed through Sasuke, throwing his hair back as he felt the wind from a smashed wall ahead of him.

Sasuke attempted to swallow his fear, but it stuck in his throat, large enough to choke on.

Naruto couldn't have jumped…no, he couldn't…he couldn't, not two floors…

Sasuke got down on his hands and knees, and looked down from the gaping hole. He almost choked on his own breath as he saw a body below, painting the snow a bright, bright red, blond hair crusted over with crimson.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke screamed.

* * *

Orochimaru huffed as he ran with his remaining five men out the back door, and he smirked when he saw Naruto lying in red snow.

"Fool," he chuckled. "Jumping from mansion floors? I'll be surprised if you aren't dead," he spoke to the body. He raised an eyebrow when Naruto lifted himself up shakily using one arm, the other useless at his point. He brought his knees up to help support him, and finally, agonizingly slowly, stood. He could've sworn he had just heard Sasuke's voice…

Orochimaru clapped his hands lethargically.

"Very nice. Now lets see how long you can last against three guns," he hissed, and without a word his henchmen whipped out their guns and shot all at once.

Orochimaru blinked as the bullets all disappeared into the distance, Naruto gone from the spot.

"The hell--" Orochimaru whipped around as one of his henchmen cried out. He dropped down as Naruto pulled a knife from his back, panting heavily. A few thin lines of blood dripped from his mouth and over his lips.

"I'm not dead yet!" Naruto shouted, his eyes burning a dangerous violet shade.

Orochimaru jumped back as his men opened fire again, but Naruto was much too fast, his energy seemingly unlimited, and they soon ran out of ammo.

They resorted to hand to hand combat, at which Naruto was just as equally skilled, even with only one arm at his use. But at five against one he was outnumbered, and a man wielding a knife went for his unguarded backside.

* * *

Sasuke knew he wasn't thinking, but acting on the agony of his heart, of his very being when he jumped out of the house. He didn't know how he landed without breaking any bones, or where his rush of energy came from as he leapt up and sprinted for Naruto, the blond unaware of the danger behind him.

* * *

Naruto jumped as he heard a familiar grunt behind him, and he saw the back of Sasuke as he was cut deeply across the chest with a knife.

Sasuke…was here? He came? For…

"Naruto!"

…for him?

"Naruto!" Naruto dropped back down to reality in time to dodge a punch, throwing back a kick for good measure.

He and Sasuke were now fighting side by side, literally back to back at this point, and Naruto had never felt something so pure, so absolutely genuine, rise up inside of him.

Love.

…love.

He could feel it radiating off of Sasuke in a tremendous wave of heat, and nothing had ever felt more real to Naruto. With renewed vigor the blond fought beside Sasuke, surprised with the raven's impressive moves.

Naruto suddenly gasped and dropped down to one knee, grasping his chest as his body shook. His breathing elevated to an even faster level, and he hunched over on all fours as his stomach pushed up bile and blood, spilling from his mouth and staining his teeth.

"Naruto!" Naruto looked up at Sasuke's cry, and saw with blurry vision the Uchiha running towards him in a frenzy.

"S'uke," Naruto tried to yell as he saw a man pick himself up from the snow and sprint for Sasuke with a knife. But all he could muster was a whisper. Naruto willed his damaged and numb arm to move, the other holding him up. It twitched and shook, slowly rising, and Naruto pointed a finger behind Sasuke.

Sasuke skid to a halt as he saw Naruto's arm rise, and he whipped around only to be pierced right below his left shoulder.

Sasuke grit his teeth and couldn't restrain a cry as he punched the man back to the ground in anger, and pulled out the knife, blood spurting forth.

"_Sasuke…Sasuke…Sasuke…"_ Naruto repeated in his head like a mantra, his body finally giving out as he hit the snow. He attempted to crawl towards Sasuke as he dropped down to his knees and gripped his wound in pain.

"Sa…suke," Naruto breathed, reaching out a hand for him as he edged closer. Sasuke met his eyes at the whisper, and he winced as he released his hand from his wound, reaching out for Naruto's. Their blood dipped fingers brushed, and they both jerked their hands back instinctively at the sound of a gunshot.

"I'll admit, I am extremely impressed that you made it this far," Orochimaru sneered, approaching Naruto with his gun cocked and aimed at the blond. "But then again, this is the last place you will ever be."

Naruto blinked up at Orochimaru from the blood-stained snow and glared at the man.

"Do you know what this is Naruto?" the snake asked, shoving the gun in his face. "This is the same gun I killed your father with."

Naruto's pupils retracted and his breath caught.

"Stop it!!" Sasuke shouted as he held his profusely bleeding wound, his skin becoming paler from blood loss.

"Oh? Someone actually came for you Naruto. I suppose he wanted to see you die. It's funny how the world is- people make friends, claim to love their family members, but then don't keep in contact or visit them. It is only when they die that they feel that stab of regret, and they realize that they were so absorbed in their own lives that they didn't take the time to cherish those close to them. I can guarantee you this Naruto-kun: no one will feel that regret when you are gone. Nay, they will feel grateful to have not been obligated to know you."

"Bastard! You're wrong!" Sasuke shouted, and Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at him.

"What a noisy thing. Better I shut you up first." Naruto saw Orochimaru's arm swivel to aim at Sasuke, and nothing mattered anymore. If that trigger was pulled, nothing mattered.

Breathing didn't even matter.

* * *

**Well my friends, the end is near! And by near I mean that the last chapter is upon us. Only one left before we wrap up. But please remember that there is a sequel!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	12. Happy

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: The last chapter before the sequel…**

**Reviewer Replies-**

**I'd like to let you all know now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Questions:**

**No Inquiries.

* * *

**

**Chapter Twelve: Happy  
**

--

Itachi had assembled the group as quickly as he could and called the police, giving them the location where Sasuke had told him that Naruto was contained. He didn't know how long it would take him and the group to get there, or if they would even be in time to make a difference, but they were going.

For Naruto.

* * *

Sasuke hadn't even been given the time to blink before the shot from Orochimaru's gun rang out, its dark barrel burrowing a hole through his stunted eyes.

The snow was cold, almost bitter against his skin. The blood it was stained a sunset red with didn't sweeten it any, but maybe that was just because it needed a little more.

Sasuke's last thought after that shot was simply:

"_Naruto."_

Sasuke knew how much he loved Naruto now, how incredibly far he would go to prove it to him. If that bullet were to pierce his heart in that instance, he would feel no regret as long as Naruto lived. Whatever it took to give that sun-kissed, blood splattered skin life.

The pain, as Sasuke imagined, would be too fast to even register. He would go out quickly, quietly; maybe even before he knew the bullet was in him. He wouldn't close his eyes and wait for the sensation of death to cling to him- he would face it head on, eyes wide and defiant. It wasn't a sacrifice anymore; it was a privilege to die for Naruto, and he would face his end proudly.

Every thought and feeling that washed its way through Sasuke's veins seemed to be racing by in a matter of milliseconds, and his consciousness only returned when a grunt of pain was released.

But it wasn't his own.

Sasuke's eyes were on the ground below him. He saw ripped and bloody black jeans crouched down and half buried in the untainted white snow. He didn't move, didn't breathe, until a drop of crimson fell and gave the snow an ominous new pigment.

Sasuke whipped his head up and almost choked on the frigid air when sapphire eyes greeted him.

Naruto was crouched in front of Sasuke, his arms wrapped around the Uchiha in a tight and shaky embrace. Sasuke didn't even feel Naruto's grip on him until he saw it for himself. His face was directly in front of Sasuke's, scratched and bloody.

He was smiling.

"Na…" Sasuke breathed, horrified.

"I see now," Naruto said, his voice quivering. He swallowed thickly, the frigid air seeming as thin as paper to him. "'Live my life for me', he said…Haku. He wanted me to live--to live the sort of life that he should have had. One without blood and guns…without the fear of being killed everyday…"

Tears were spilling down Sasuke's face, his lips parted slightly as he buried his gaze within Naruto's eyes.

"…but I didn't. I replayed his life again…like a broken record. But there is one thing about our lives that are not exactly mirrored." Naruto grinned, his lips trembling and eyes now relinquishing their tears.

"I found you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto brushed his blood stained lips against his own, dappling his own lips red, before the blond collapsed on the snow.

"How charming," Orochimaru said, rolling his eyes. "Too bad it won't mean anything to someone who hates you!" Orochimaru dropped his gun and kicked it over to Naruto, face up in the bloody snow.

"Here's you chance boy! Go on, avenge your daddy!"

Naruto was unmoving.

"What, dead already? What a fighter you turned out to be!" Orochimaru laughed bitterly, and then suddenly choked on his laughter.

He placed a hand over his chest, and looked up at Naruto quickly. The blond still lay on the snow, but held Orochimaru's gun in his hand, its barrel still aimed upside down at the man.

"Dad…" Naruto whispered as he let the gun fall from his limp hand to the snow, and Orochimaru tumbled over.

Sasuke crawled over to Naruto, hunching over him. He placed his palms on the blond's scarred cheeks.

"Don't leave…" he breathed, his warm breath billowing over the blond's much paler skin.

Naruto looked at Sasuke through half-lidded ocean eyes, still smiling gently at him. Through all of the blood, the tears, the dead words buried beneath them.

"I'm…happy," Naruto said, placing his wine red hand over one of Sasuke's that rested on his cheek.

"Naruto please, please you…you can't-- you'll be alright, I promise!" Sasuke said desperately to the blond, his voice steadily increasing in intensity as his tears flowed more than ever in rivulets down his cheeks.

"_You're lying," _Naruto thought as he blinked slowly, snow falling against his leashes and melting away the blood on his face. He looked up at Sasuke, and through the thin sheet of snow he saw Haku staring down at him, smiling, before he faded away back to Sasuke's turmoil filled face.

Sasuke felt the weight of Naruto's clothing becoming heavier as it absorbed all of the blond's blood.

But Sasuke knew Naruto would make it, he would, he was positive- he had never been so sure of anything in his range of thoughts.

Naruto's head dipped slightly to the side as the blond closed his eyes, and his hand went limp in Sasuke's.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, his voice unstable. "No, you're just…resting, you…" Sasuke embraced Naruto through the red snow, and the most painful, passionate sob ever mustered burst from within him.

"NARUTO!!!" he screamed into the blond's chest, somehow hoping, praying it would reach his ears and give his heart what it needed to keeping pumping again.

Sasuke almost thought he had been hurt when he heard noise in the distance, but those thoughts faded when he heard sirens hurtling towards him, and hurried voices invaded the airspace around him.

He felt strong hands heave him up by his arms, and he struggled with everything he had left in him, his eyes never leaving Naruto, never abandoning him.

Never again.

* * *

The sky was pure white from the clouds giving way snow when Sasuke opened his eyes. It burned his eyes, and he turned his head away from it, only to see Neji sitting in a chair by him.

"Sasuke," he said worriedly, and Sasuke looked back up, the stark white ceiling now coming into full focus.

Sasuke moved his eyes around him, and saw Gaara, Tenten, Lee, Shikamaru, Kankuro, and the rest of Kurochi around him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Gaara beat him to the question.

"The hospital," he said. Sasuke processed his words slowly but carefully, and he gasped shakily.

"Naruto!" he breathed. He sat up quickly, but winced and laid back down. He tried again, this time much more slowly, and succeeded. "Where…where is he? Where is Naruto?"

No one responded, and Sasuke looked to each of their faces. Tenten's tear streaks were evident upon her cheeks as Kiba held her close. Kankuro's face didn't hold its usual mirth, and even Gaara's emotionless eyes were a mirror that conveyed his agony.

"Where is he…?" Sasuke repeated, his heart demanding answers.

"He's in room 208, but-" Shikamaru didn't have time to finish as Sasuke leapt from his bed, ripping out the IV attached to his arm.

He crashed through the door, slamming it open as he ran down the hallways, his bear feet slapping heavily against the tiles.

His eyes scanned the room numbers, but his brain didn't decipher anything as his heart raced. His body turned him right to slam a door open, and his pulse struck his ear drums loudly as he saw a doctor placing a blue sheet over Naruto, his eyes closed and body unmoving as Temari cried beside him with Itachi. They turned around at the slam of the door.

"Sasuke!" Temari cried

Sasuke flew past her, embracing Naruto tightly.

"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto," he repeated like a mantra.

"Son," a doctor said, trying to pull him away.

"Get of me!!!" Sasuke shouted, thrashing out his arms.

"Sasuke stop!" Itachi shoutyelled, grabbing onto his shoulders. "Naruto is gone!"

"He's not! I know it!!!" Sasuke shouted back, still clinging to the lifeless blond before several nurses rushed in and pulled him away despite his struggling.

"Naruto! Naruto! NARUTO!!!" Sausuke screamed, flailing with everything he had. Itachi gripped his face in his hands.

"He's gone, Sasuke," he said, his voice low and serious as he met Sasuke's stare with his own unwavering one. "It's over." Sasuke went limp at Itachi's words, and the nurses released him as he collapsed against his brother's chest, eyes a hollowed shell of black.

* * *

Temari bit her lip as she leaned down and placed a sunflower over a patch of freshly matted down dirt, grazing her fingers over the engravings on the stone planted in the ground just above it.

She stepped back into the ring with Kurochi, Lee, Neji, and Shikamaru, the next one walking up to the grave with their flower.

Itachi turned his head to graze his eyes over the snow covered field, his eyes catching and holding Sasuke's backside as he stood under a tree in a black suit.

"Is Sasuke coming?" Temari asked him, and Itachi shook his head.

"Let him do what he needs to," he said. The group prayed once more before leaving the lone grave and returning to their cars.

Sasuke didn't move even when the cars had disappeared into the far off distance. He leaned against the old willow tree, his body absorbing the cold as if it were his own blood.

He finally turned around to look at the grave, and walked towards it, counting each crunching step he took. He stopped in front of Naruto's grave, facing the tombstone. His eyes roamed down its etchings that shined with lackluster, and he reached out a hand, placing it on the head of the tombstone.

His thoughts were his own, frozen with the blanket of ice that winter had draped over him. He was unfeeling and numbed to the letters that engraved a name in the snow.

Sasuke blinked and lifted his head to the sky as he felt something wet hit his cheek, and a parade of white flakes rained down on him tenderly.

-

-

-

_Owari._

_-_

_-_

_-  
_

_

* * *

_**Do not kill me. Because if you kill me there will be no sequel that I promised.**

**Thank you all for sticking out this angsty roller coaster of a story with me. All reviews are love. The first chapter of the sequel will be released on August 5th 2009. No sooner, and definitely no later.**

**It's been a pleasure to write for you,**

**Kaito Hideki  
**

**(No my real name is not Sky-eyed Kitsune smarty pants ;p)  
**


	13. A Little Consolation

Greetings!

I bet that many of you wouldn't expect to see an alert for this story anymore would you? I'm here with a very important announcement! At the end of this story I noticed that very many of you were so upset and heartbroken that you didn't want to read the sequel, because it wouldn't make a difference in it if Naruto wasn't alive. For those of you that went ahead and started reading the sequel regardless, I admire your persistence! However, I would have done the same as most of you and not even read the sequel if I knew that Naruto was already dead. Well, here's the big announcement: I've played a little writer's trick on you.

**NARUTO IS ALIVE.**

And very much well, in fact. I had planned this since the beginning, so know that it wasn't a spur of the moment decision on my part. It really tore me up to see the sad reviewers I left behind (and some of you even crying according to your reviews!) :( So I find it only fitting to inform you all of the hope that awaits you! And this doesn't ruin the story at all because you are informed that Naruto is alive in chapter two!

Sincerely,

Sky-eyed Kitsune,

Kaito Hideki


	14. Author's Note

**Hey all you (probably confused) people. This part of the fic is over, isn't it? So why is she still writing this? Well I wanted to post a note for those of you interested and still watching this fic: I wrote this fic almost 4 years ago, maybe even five, and after reading through the whole thing I have to say, I am not too happy with it. My writing style has changed and matured alot since then and reading this made me gag a little (lol). So I decided that this fic is in desperate need of a re-write, along with "STRAY".**

**If you would like to read the re-write as I go along chapter by chapter feel free to leave behind reviews and thoughts ;)**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune  
Kaito-kit**


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